Saturday, January 7, 2023

Dinner Plans

    Tonight five established inmates of the OFH are meeting a newbie for dinner in the dining hall. This will be an opportunity to orient the new inmate to the intricacies of living in the OFH. This new resident moved in a couple of weeks ago. His wife died very recently so we also can offer support. Being the other widower in the group I’ll try to be helpful about life in the land of grief. Perhaps I’ll introduce him to the concept of “the presence of absence.”

   One of the big differences I notice about grief almost five years since Joanne’s death is the increasing infrequency of ‘triggers.’ Triggers are those random things that occur and sweep the bereaved into a spasm of grief. For example, the fifth Christmas without Joanne was not a trigger. It has come to seem normal to be alone...which is also sad.


Takk for alt,

Al


This was perhaps the most difficult exercise in Marine Boot Camp...doing calethentics in the sand with a pole on the shoulders. Ed is convinced that many of the Marines weren't doing their part. It was certainly strenous exercise. 😀

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