No Regrets
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After a recent rain I looked across the pasture and as usual the creek was flooded, temporarily blocking entrance or exit to the neighbor’s house on the hill across the creek. They have added rock and cleaned out areas, but sure as shootin the floods will come.
Before long the European starlings will show up on the front porch. They build next to the ceiling in the corner. The nest will be made of mud and debris. They will leave a stinky poop pile below their nest and practice dive bombing guests who approach the front door once the baby starlings have arrived. You can try to run them off, but they are persistent.
My neighbor’s dog can be anywhere, but when our car starts getting close to home, Jesse makes a beeline to our garage. Once the door to the house is open the dog rushes past you to stand by the front door at the little table where we keep the dog treats. The minute the door opens, Jesse runs out, turns around, and gets ready like a center fielder awaiting a fly ball as we toss out some snacks. There is no deviation from the routine.
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Once the mail has come, we used to look forward to a newspaper delivered daily. Now some papers are reduced to once or twice a week. Used to we would fuss and fume if it turned dark and no paper arrived. Nowadays we’re just grateful it still comes at all. Then there’s suppertime. By yourself it’s whatever and whenever you want it to be. For a lot of senior citizens, it may just be a bowl of Post Toasties. One friend over 90 living in assisted living has a piece of fruit and a protein drink. It must work because she’s still skinny and sharp as a tack. She just decided she didn’t feel safe living alone, although she has a very attentive family.
Predictability and dependability may not be exciting, but it’s a great feeling to know some things don’t change much. Anyone who has been a part of a family or marriage where there wasn’t a lot of consistency and predictability would likely tell you that they would gladly have settled for a little less excitement and a little more routine when it comes to paying bills and just meeting all the daily needs a family can have. Sometimes what looks exciting and enticing ends up making us wish for our old routines back. Even a few unhappy partners in marriage have sometimes been pulled out of good marriages, only to find they eventually have made a mistake as they miss their predictable, dependable spouses. Sometimes they are lucky enough to get to rekindle the old magic but most times not so lucky. Thank goodness for others who finally escaped abusive or scary relationships. May those searching for fulfilling love and true appreciation find the life they have dreamed of with no regrets.
By Dr. Juan Harrison
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