Monday, October 01, 2007

The circle of life

Saturday morning, as I was removing my mother's wheelchair from the trunk of her car, my phone rang. Brenda was calling to tell me I need to talk to Owen, our 16-month-old grandson. Owen was in the barber's chair for his first real haircut and he didn't like the experience much.

"Talk to him, maybe it will help take his mind off of the scissors," Brenda suggested.

So, here I am in the parking lot of the skilled nursing center, where my dad is recovering from two surgeries, about to wheel my mother inside to see him, talking to little Owen, who I know was trying to figure out what I was trying to do! I'm told he smiled, but returned quickly to do battle with the barber!

When we entered the nursing center, we found my dad in the dining room waiting for his lunch. He was seated at a table with two other gentlemen. All three were in wheelchairs. My mom pulled up to the table to make it four.

I watched as my parents greeted one another. My dad was so glad to see her, and vice versa. They will celebrate 68 years in November. Hard to believe. And, they are still in love!

Later that afternoon, after bringing my mother home, I rushed off to a soccer game.

I don't even understand the rules to soccer. But that didn't matter for this game for two reasons. First, none of the 3-year-old boys playing understand them either. And, most importantly, I was there to see my oldest grandson, Wyatt and not just the game.

Wyatt loves to play. Doesn't like it when he has to "take a break." He has more fun playing with his buddies. I have even more fun watching him! I am thinking that he has a bit of linebacker in him! I don't think that is a position in soccer.

Of course, Gracie, our 5-year-old grandaughter is there to watch her little brother play. It is fun watching her cheer him on. And, it's fun playing with her on the sidelines!

Reflecting on the day, I got in touch again with the circle of life--beginning, middle and last. I'm somewhere in the middle these days, watching parents and grandchildren experience this part of their lives. It is a curious position. I don't understand it all, but I'm open.

It occurs to me that this is not an easy time. It is certainly not easy for my parents. I expect it is challenging for my own children, as they watch their little ones getting started.

It hit me how hard, how very difficult it must be to make it all the way around the circle without resources. The circle is so much harder, so much more difficult for people and families who have few material resources. For sure, they compensate with what they have in terms of human, community and relational capital.

But, it is very clear to me today that it must be really tough making things work if you have little income. And, that is true no matter where you find yourself on life's ever-turning circle.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just to prove my point of two days ago, Senator Tom Harkin is on the senate floor as I speak lying about Rush Limbaugh. He has no shame.

Anonymous said...

Chris, it is you who truly have no shame. You have the unmitigated gall to put this comment on Larry's very personal and intimate post about his family? That says volumes about you.

Anonymous said...

Karen - Just to prove your point, Chris was blogging on Larry's site as I read it, lying about Tom Harkin. Chris, do you have some complex that makes you want to throw out knucklehead comments to get people going? I bet you got your "arse" kicked all the time when you were young. You need help, my friend. And you also need to stop dating rush Limbaugh so you can see things for what they are.

Anonymous said...

I think it's really amazing that Senator Harkin lied about flying combat missions over Vietnam and got up on the senate floor to take Rush's "fake soldier" comment out of context. One might say that Senator Harkin was a fake himself. If what I say is not true, one should prove me wrong. If you want me to take you seriously you should come back with facts.

Anonymous said...

Or, more importantly, only "facts" that you agree with? I go back to karen's point. Your reply to Larry's blog was insulting, proving you only want to leach off his fame. Get your own blog.

Larry, your article today is not just good. It's poetic. Thanks for all you do.

Anonymous said...

Chris - is it true because Rush Limbaugh says it is true? I heard the idiot ( Limbaugh) when he made the comment and it was not taken out of context by Harkin. Maybe Limbaugh can blame it on Vicoden if the blame can't be shouldered by the big, bad, ugly Democrats. What would you do with yourself if they took your radio away from you during mid-day and you could not get your Rush Limbaugh fix everyday?

Anonymous said...

Chris - I think it's really amazing that Rush Limbaugh spent years publicly flogging other people for being addicted to drugs while he was popping pain killers by the gallon himself. Can you say HYPOCRITE!!!! What will be uncovered about Limbaugh next that will make his comments even more ridiculous.

mundiejc said...

what the hell happened to this post?

Chris- you need a commenting sabbatical. maybe some counseling. it is entirely inappropriate for you to put this comment on this post. For some reason, it seems you enjoy having a place to offer up your own thoughts. Maybe you should get your own blog?

Rush Limbaugh bashers...

Is it really worth your time to go through all of this. Making jokes about former drug addicts doesn't seem very Christian, it doesn't make what he said true or false. What you are doing is giving Chris more incentive to come over here and be ridiculous. Stop acting like partisan hacks and dropping down to Chris's level. You can say "this is inappropriate" but as for addressing whatever concern Chris has, its not gonna get you anywhere.

Anonymous said...

At least we know who is behind the smear campaign. It is the organization , Media Matters. It was started by Hillary and financed by George Sorus.

The smear is not making the Dems look good. It will backfire on them in 2008.

Anonymous said...

It's a funny [not really] thing how supporters of The Rush are almost always big talkers about 'family values.' (Theirs, but not other people's.) Yet, here we have a post about LARRY'S FAMILY, and Chris has hijacked it for her political ax grinding. Hmmm...

Chris, there's a little something for you on Larry's post today about 'neckties.' Oh, and, by the way, it is completely unrelated to neckties.