I moved a family friend from one nursing home to one closer to my house. She's moving to more nursing care and it was a good time to move her closer to me. You see, we're not related by blood, but we're family. She was my MIL's neighbor for years, and when we moved in here, she became ours. And as her care needs have increased, I've stepped in to help. It interesting explaining to doctors our relationship.
Friend would work. But I choose to say I'm her fungus...she caught me and can't get rid of me. LOL She's part of the family.
That idea of May-December friendship might seem odd to some people, but I sort of feel as if my life has been filled with older friends and kids. Yep, I've spent my life balancing the two. LOL I was my grandmother's caregiver for years. She was in the home I just moved my friend into. Nana was a difficult woman. She was a Rosie Riveter. She raised my mother singlehandedly. She was a tough old bird, but she loved me unconditionally and I tried to return the favor.
I think those May-December relationships show up in my books. Pearly Gates and Nana Vancy are two of the older characters who've appeared in a lot of books respectively. I love watching how their dynamics develop with younger heroes/heroines. And I'll confess, I love writing older characters. They say and do what they want. There's a certain freedom in that. Maybe that's part of what attracts me. That freedom.
Someone asked why I stepped in for my neighbor. Her husband passed away. She never had kids. She was alone. How could I not? I am overflowing with family, but I like to think if I were alone in the world, someone would help me. I hope you see that in my books as well. That sense of community. That idea that we are all dependent on each other. That idea that we are all connected.
So as I sit here tonight, I'm thinking about getting older and what I hope for those older years. And I guess I hope even if I slow down, I hope I still find glee in everything. And I think it helps that most of my glee doesn't come from the big things in life, but rather the little things. Himself, kids, family, friends, Ella (my dog), books, coffee, sunsets on the beach, ice cream, a fire in the winter . . .
Yeah, it doesn't take much. And that's a good thing.
So tonight, I wish you all a sense of connection with your community. I wish you all glee. I wish you all a good book and comfortable chair!
Holly
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