New Direction
Big doings in and around town. Over at the headquarters of the Pedernales Electric Co-operative crews are dressing the trees with lights. Really. They’ll finish in time to turn them on the day after Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, down the road toward Fredericksburg, they’re strangling traffic. Really. The four lane road is going down to three. Two lanes for travel, one lane for turning. It’s what they do when speed limit signs fail to slow things and people need to turn.
I’m happy the lights are going up. Last year I had a gathering of the children at my house, and we walked over to see the fireworks and look at the lights. I considered that event a positive turning point in my grief journey. I plan on doing it again this year. Meanwhile, the road work off to my west might mean I need to change my pharmacy. I go that way because my wife was in memory care there and it made sense to do my business there as well. She’s gone and there’s really no need to endure the tourists, wine lovers, and heavy traffic just to pick up an occasional prescription.
So, as I look down my own road, I see a party and a possible new direction. That feels okay. And the party will be even more special this year because my daughter’s two little ones, will have shed their foster status to become official family members. And popping fireworks will make for a good celebration. And driving down a new road might mean new adventures for me. You never know. I just need to turn my nose north and find out.
John W. Wilson is the author of The Long Goodbye: A Caregiver's Tale