There were a few times along the sniffling, sneezing, itchy eye path that I worried about getting my germs on my work. And would it transfer to the recipient. I decided that frequent hand washing and generous use of tissues (not to mention a dose of antibiotics) should keep everything clean.
Of course I'll be blocking everything before it's ready to go - so that's how I made it work in my mind. Anyone have anything more scientific to go on?
I spent almost a week with my parents - drove down with the dogs to celebrate mom's birthday (low key - but she liked the scarf!) and then helped out where I could to prep for Michael's arrive with his kids for Thanksgiving.
Every time I'm visiting them I'm intrigued to see glimpses of how I got to be who I am just be observing my parents' being themselves. 46 years we've been a family and I'm still learning things.
It's fodder for a book. That's for sure.
The thing I'm most thankful for this year is the fact that I can find a way to sit back and observe and take note, without reacting. (Okay, mostly). We get into patterns with the people in our lives and the usually the hardest patterns to dislodge are those with our parents. I know people that haven't spoken to their family for years because the patterns can be so painful.
It seems I'm finally realizing that the pattern is as much a part of me as I want to make it. In other words, I can change the pattern anytime I want. I can even frog the story I've been telling myself about my family, how I got there and why I am the way I am. I get to start over anytime I want.
Family relationships are there for the learning. They may be complicated pattern, but it's what we have and, I truly believe, what we choose. This year I choose to be curious, and non reactive with my family.
And because every post should have at least one picture -- here's my oldest, this morning as I was loading the car to hit the road for home.
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