This was the sign in the window of the Longfellow Bookstore here in Portland, which I parked in front of this afternoon while my Dad (who had just picked me up from church after the weekly staff meeting) ran into the bank to deposit a check. And the irony of it impressed me immensely -- because I HAVE a lifestyle now that is pretty much "eat, sleep, read" but such simple things such as getting to church, shopping for groceries, or going to the bank are essentially impossible for me without the assistance of someone like my Dad. Without my Dad (or the assistance of someone) I am essentially housebound, and when not eating or sleeping am either reading or writing, or getting ready to travel to a medical appointment -- the one destination where the assisted/independent living center provides transportation for me if I need it.
There are work-arounds I could hire an attendant, and doubtlessly will sometime after my Dad goes home at the end of the month; but the one excellent candidate I had identified to the job folded his tent and moved to Montana for the winter (which caused me to question his judgment just a little, even if he does have family there!). My fantastic neighbor has been, well, fantastic about carting me back and forth to church, and to various other essential errands too...but she has a life of her own which is incredibly busy in its own right, and I'm always a little concerned that the time she spends helping me is lost to her completion of her own activities. And I suppose I could always call a cab, or draw upon other willing church volunteers (as I occasionally have) to help me get from point A to point B.
But the irony has to do with the nature of freedom and "independence." How many of us have daydreamed about having a life where we are free to devote ourselves almost exclusively to reading -- to the comfortable chair, and the pot of warm tea on a rainy afternoon under a bright reading light. There's nothing better in the world! Except when that's the ONLY activity that you can do by yourself, and your "independence" is dependent upon the kindness of others....
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
RIGHT. "Eat, sleep, read" sounds great but less great if your physical limitations make other endeavors difficult and contingent on the availability, able-bodiedness and kindness of friends and neighbors.
I'm trying to think if I can get up to see you before I leave town for seven weeks...
At the risk of sounding like I miss your point, I would just like to say.....and yet you do so much.
How nice that your dad can be with you!
Val C
Yes, I guess I do do a lot...it's just that it takes SO LONG. But maybe there's a lesson for me there in organization as well. Just got your holiday letter. Poor Keith! Do any of your girls like to play softball, or has parenthood been pretty much just a constant parade of tea parties with stuffed animals and father-daughter dances? I hope at least he got a sailor or two out of his offspring,
It has been great having my dad here with me (although we haven't been playing much catch). It's just that the time always seems to go so quickly! We try to get stuff done, but we also just want to spend time together, and thus days fly by.
Always great to hear from you. Let's hope that next summer is more like the summer before last, rather than last summer
Post a Comment