JZ, your beautiful description of the cathedral made me feel like I was there.
And the 13 of us, widely spaced into our tiny family units--Matilda and Hec clutching me and both of us clutching Matilda to support each other through the insupportable; my aunt, who just buried her husband and is now burying her baby brother, and her daughter; another highly problematic cousin and his spouse, who shrugged off all their issues when this came crashing in; my father's partner, weeping by herself because none of us were allowed to touch her and the only person by whose side she could have safely been was in that stainless steel box; my middle brother, all alone at the end of our pew; another cousin to our left, and his ex-wife, whom my dad had always treated like family no matter what her legal status, on the right. The office manager who thought of him as a second father. The old friend from decades back. And no one else in all the world.
This is the extravagant cruelty of it all. The separation is where this disease unnecessarily runs up the score. I'm grateful, at least, that you, Matilda, and Hec could cling together.
Oh, JZ. My heart goes out to you, to David, Matilda, and the rest of the family. {{}}
Hey gang, am I out of line in thinking that if someone is still referring to "my room" and "my living room" with regard to a significant other who moved in with them weeks ago, it's an indication they weren't ready to live together?
You're at least not wrong to question it, Matt. Habits are hard to break, though. How long did the someone live there without the s.o.? Did the someone live on their own for long before the s.o. moved in?
{{{JZ}}} {{{Zmayhems}}}
am I out of line in thinking that if someone is still referring to "my room" and "my living room" with regard to a significant other who moved in with them weeks ago, it's an indication they weren't ready to live together
I would be thinking this exact thing.
I don't know about the length of prior residence, but there was also a pre-existing roommate so the "my living room" seems particularly telling to me. I immediately thought of communal spaces as shared when I lived with other people, and I've been territorial about guests overstaying their welcome.
{{{JZ and family and friends}}}
I say "the living room"- but I live alone.
JZ, thank you for writing that; it was beautiful. It brought up lots of feelings in me about my family and my old church. I'm sorry you couldn't all hug each other, and so so glad for you to have such a family and community around you.
Hec, thanks for posting the photo of the church, it's amazing.
Matt, I'd consider it a potential red flag but not a dealbreaker. Something to be worked out.
I am stress-free, at least for this weekend! All I have is one small assignment for side gig #1, and nothing else I have to do for two whole days. (We're not closed Monday.) Whew. Time to work a puzzle, have a drink, and watch some stupid YouTube videos. Quality time!
