Headed home...

Although I have never really lived in Maryland, it is where my parents settled in the early 70s - so that qualifies for one type of home, yes? Bowie, MD was once in the sticks - literally a small town built around a race track and later a Levitt-town - that is now part of the outer Beltway sprawl of Washington, DC suburbs. It is growing, sometimes run down and always a challenge. And I fly there later today to visit my dad (my mom died five years ago) and see my sisters, too.

It has been a year since my last visit - and while that hardly seems possible, it is true. One of the many reasons we sensed God's spirit calling us back to the East Coast had to do with family: it takes a lot of effort, time and money to visit children and aging parents when you are in Tucson, AZ and they all live close to New England. I've learned, however, that it takes JUST as much effort to visit Maryland these days even though I am much closer.

Partially that has to do with being a pastor - there's ALWAYS stuff to do - partially it has to do with being a dad - our daughters live reasonably close by and it is fun to visit with them - and partially I don't like to travel without Dianne - she has to work. But those are all just partial reasons: truth is that these kinds of trips feel like just another form of work for me - with a man I love, of course - but still work and it has always been work.

We'll talk about his health - which is failing - and dance around whether or not he's still able to manage on his own - like many older people he rightly dreads a life in a nursing home. We will share a few stories, watch some TV and maybe go shopping. To be sure, it will be fun seeing my sisters - I miss them and they all lead busy lives like the rest of us - so I look forward to this part of the trip. The rest though feels more like a type of low-grade and sad work...

Maybe all adult children feel like this as their parents grow older - sad and tired - I'm not sure. But that's what I feel as the morning dawns. Oh well, better go pack...