Alone

I've been alone for a week. Don left for Indianapolis last Sunday, a week ago, helping Quanah with his move there. He's in Missouri now visiting with friends as he makes his way home.

The first week I was alone, Krista made sure I had plenty of company. And my brother, very unexpectedly, stayed in touch to a great degree. I was there. He was here. Dinner at Las Consuelos last night, with him and Yolanda, was a hit.

This first week, I kept a list of what I had accomplished. I had great plans and I actually accomplished some of it though not nearly enough. This week will be a little different though.

Since Krista has let us know she is moving back home (the house she is living in is being sold), I'm now faced with surrendering "my" room for it to become her room again. This is going to be a "beach" of a week as I move some of the furniture back to the front room and go through everything yet again and see what else I can get rid of.

Kris is attending an international conference this week and even though it's local, liability issues prohibit participants from leaving campus. It's very strange to know that she is still in town (at the university staying in the dorms) and that I will not see her. I'm experiencing a feeling of isolation at the moment and it doesn't feel comfortable. Okay. Call it what it is - Lonely.

This week underscores how little contact I have with people. Elaine moved. Marie going out of town. Kris in town and not around. Don three time zones away. Most of my day to day possibilities actually happen right here and I love it.  But, face to face reality is in short supply.  I started asking myself  what I could do to bring more people into my life and a question sincerely asked, got an answer.

Last year I joined an organization called Matthew's Ministry, an organization at a parish level that serve those in need.  You will find us serving at funerals, visiting shut-ins, bringing them Holy Communion and company, and praying daily at 6 p.m. for healing of the sick.  The group got off to a slow start but we are organized now and I've met some very nice people, many of them much older than I and living very active lives. 

They are becoming inspirations for me and a bit of a family.  They all have large families - children, grandchildren, and great-grands.  For one such as myself who has a very small family, this gives me a very good feeling and an expanded sense of belonging.

One of the things I've done this week is make bookmarks from my Instagrams.  Their shape for this sort of project is perfect.  Stack four of them together.  Follow a theme.  Hello bookmark.  Hope you enjoy.