Abandonment And Loneliness

For the first time ever in our thirty-eight years of marriage, Mr. AOW and I stayed home for Independence Day evening. We did go to church in the morning for the patriotic service, moving beyond words. Mr. AOW and I were tearful during nearly the entire service as both of us are so concerned about the direction in which America is going today and, at the same time, moved by how the service honored our military and our nation's Founding principles.

So, what made yesterday so lonely?

Not a single friend invited us out for evening fireworks. We DO have evening fireworks very close by. But nobody bothered helping us, and I can't physically push Mr. AOW's wheelchair up the slight incline to the vantage point.

In fact, not a single friend or family member phoned us yesterday with wishes for the day. Of the many emotions that Mr. AOW and I go through these days, bitterness is one of those emotions.

One neighbor DID stop by and drop off some homemade peach cobbler. What's July 4th without pie? Heh.

Abandonment and loneliness sometimes overwhelm Mr. AOW and me, as do the many losses. However, we're making the best we can of the situation in which we have found ourselves trapped for nearly the past ten months.

Anyway, Mr. AOW and I spent the evening of July 4, 2010, at home and watched A Capitol Fourth on PBS television. We've never gone to the National Mall for Independence Day, and now it looks as if we never will. A sad realization.

Although life now offers us few pleasures now, Mr. AOW and I count our blessings that we are still able to enjoy each other's company. The stroke Mr. AOW had last September was a very close call, and he's still a long way from a satisfactory recovery.

Today, it's back to the grind: neuro-therapy for Mr. AOW to endure and tutoring for me to do.