here’s what the past week represented for me just in terms of memorial anniversaries:

my last day at my job in MD three years ago

two grandparents’ death anniversaries

the day i moved back here to NJ to caregive three years ago

the day i moved far away from my family and friends in PA/MD

the unveiling ceremony of my father’s grave one year ago

my best teacher/mentor/friend’s death one year ago

the second anniversary of my parents since dad died

the second father’s day since dad died

just a normal week in the life of an eldercaregiver.  i’m not even trying to be morbid, it’s just what it’s like here.  just marking off the losses.

for oldsters, a week is unusual if nobody close to you dies, or died.

what i miss most: getting to celebrate life events with living people, like my son and family and friends.  or just hanging out.

of all the above dead people, the one i miss most is my teacher, connie carlough.  it was she who embraced me and gave me hope when everything else was trying to stamp me out.  she was like a brilliant beacon of creativity that couldn’t be extinguished, that i looked to as a role model and incentive to keep trying, all those dark years.