The Gift of Time

My father's second marriage became an amazing and inspirational love story. They were the ideal match. I marvel that it happened at all, especially midpoint in life with all its complications. My dad passed in 2003 but the love of his life is alive and well.

His bride still has a great smile and infectious laugh. Life is gently running its course, and there is an  occasional need for someone to lend a hand, you know, with errands or cleaning out a kitchen cupboard. Her daughter/son do a lot but I realized there's room for me, too. So a plan was hatched for mine to be the helping hands once a month.

She lives hours away through bay area traffic, and BayAreaites groan when I say that, because it means seven different freeways and a constant fleet of crazies who accordion in and out of lanes, lookey-loos and texters and the-worst-drivers-in-the-world-Asians screaming along at 70 mph with optional turn signals.

After arriving we got right to work! :) And through the course of Day #1 I learned the Golden Helper Rules.

• Do not set things up the way I'd like because it's not my house!
• Move at the pace of the lowest energy denominator.
• And most of all:  Do know there is a Window of Opportunity, which is the precise amount of help to be helpful but not exhausting  (Unfortunately that lesson was learned after her eyes began to droop.)

We chatted and chored and I heard great family stories to put down here before I forget them. And when she finally kicked me out, I headed home with a grateful heart for the time together, but also for sharing the day with my father who I sensed was hovering nearby.