Welcome to The Club

What a busy weekend! I had a three day weekend that felt like 1 ½ days. No rest for the wicked, I guess. I spent a full day with my mother-in-law shuttling her to a beauty shop appointment and other errands. Her frailty is a constant reminder of where she is in life’s journey. Every day reveals a task that she and/or my father-in-law can no longer do because of their age and failing health. Recently, I began to accept the fact that we have begun the long goodbye. I hope it’s a very long goodbye, but I now realize they have begun the last leg of their time with us. I hope their journey is without pain. I hope we have the patience and wisdom we need to care for them in the best way possible. And I hope that among the tears and frustration we are likely to encounter there are plenty of laughs and smiles. My husband and I are official members of the “sandwich generation”, and it’s not a fun club to be in. I have always used my writing as an emotional release. However, I’m torn about how much I should write in this column about the long goodbye. It may be a little too painful to put on cyber paper, and yet, it could be helpful to share. I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it some more. If any fellow club members have suggestions, I’d like to hear them. Do I hear a motion to adjourn?