Recharging The Batteries...

 

My brother-in-law called me one day. I was startled and a little frightened by his name on caller ID because he has never called me before. Did something happen to my sister!?! Is everyone OK? Thankfully, everything was fine. He just had a kooky idea that all of the Alberts should go to Baltimore for a baseball game.

After he called me, he proceeded to call each and every one of my siblings. We all reacted the same way – is everyone OK? You have never called us! Way to scare the crap out of us. They live in St. Louis. The rest of us are scattered across the country. Furthermore, none of us really care about sports. We should drop everything and go to Maryland for a game?

Then the phone call chain started – each of us calling another to talk about that crazy call and his hare-brained idea. The more we talked, the more we understood that maybe it wasn’t so crazy. I don’t think any of us was really excited about the actual game, but it’s been a rough few years. Maybe we should recharge the familial battery.

We’ve ALL been challenged. I became a widow, of course, but there have been life changes and battles for most of us. Our brother in Maryland – the guy we’d be descending upon – has had THREE brain surgeries in the last couple of years and very recently had a mild stroke. We’ve all had heavy loads to bear. Why not gather for some fun?

Sadly, we couldn’t all squeeze this trip into our schedules, but we were able to represent Denver, St. Louis, and Atlanta in the city we once called home. My nephew organized tickets for the St. Louis Cardinals v/s Baltimore Orioles game. Plane tickets were booked. I was travelling on my own for the first time in a very long time, so I thought I’d try something new.

I boarded a midnight train from Georgia – that was something new! Other than quick little commuter trips, I’d never travelled by train before. It was cheaper than a plane and less stressful than making the drive. I loved every second of it. The other passengers were friendly and it was a very communal atmosphere. I walked around, went to the dining car for coffee, chatted, and napped. When I arrived in Baltimore, I was greeted by my best friend from 5^th grade, We dined and chatted until she had to leave then my spare brother – family friend from our Baltimore days – picked me up to take me to my brother’s house.

From there, it was hugging, talking, and just general family bonding. We toured the old haunts, and told the old remember-when stories and talked about the people we knew back then and reviewed the Where Are They Now information that we had. My brother’s house is old (built in 1800) and the grounds are expansive, so exploring it was delightful. The bigger delight was just being able to see one another to confirm that we’re all still standing and thriving.

So I’m happy for that startling phone call. I’m thankful that my kids urged me to go and assured me that my home would still be standing when I got home (it is!) and I’m glad for all of the quality time spent with siblings I rarely see. A bit of time with my friend was a nice bonus. I’m grateful for the new experience with the train and I’m going to do it again at the next opportunity.

I came home feeling refreshed and ready to forge ahead with whatever comes next. My familial battery has been charged. That means MY battery has been boosted, too. Onward!

 

In The Zone...

 

With the writers’ strike happening, my TV is loaded with either re-runs or reality television. My tolerance for reality is pretty limited out in the real world. I don’t need it on my TV so I’ve turned to the stockpile of The Twilight Zone that sits on my DVR. I’ve always been a fan and it never gets old.

As I watch, I can’t help but think that these shows from the late 50s and early 60s were eerily prophetic. Was Rod Serling some sort of modern-day Nostradamus? The themes of the shows are very progressive. Of course, they were scripted towards imagination about the future and commentary about the mindset of the times.

Here, in 2023, we should be evolved and trusting and care about one another without prejudice but instead, people seem to be suspicious of others and fearful about the world as a whole. I see it every time I leave the house. It seems that people have forgotten the basic manners and decency towards their fellow human beings.

Turn on the news and you’ll see that once quiet suburban neighborhoods are riddled with random gunfire. Clowns are in government offices, books that have been cherished for generations are being banned because some parents are afraid that their children’s minds may be accidentally opened. The inmates are running the asylum!

I think that if I pitched these ideas to Mr. Serling, I’d be told that they were too far-fetched and too unbelievable for sci-fi and people wouldn’t be able to accept it as the future. Yet here we are. Real life 2023.

I’m not discouraged. The “reality” that has been presented to us is not real. When I look beyond the awful headlines, I see good people doing amazing things. People run into danger and rescue others. People reach out helping hands to feed, to protect, and to comfort their fellow humans more than we know. THAT is my reality. And really, looking back at those old black and white Twilight Zone episodes, didn’t Rod Serling always have a message about being better, doing better, and disregarding the awful?

I don’t know if he was a fortune teller or just amazingly creative, but I’m grateful to have those old shows as a reminder of where we were, where we hoped to be, and what’s possible if we veer too far off the path. My destination is a loving, kind world and I plan to keep walking until I get there. I’m in the zone.

Boats, Trains, Automobiles...

 

I realize I’ve spent the last 18 or so years shielding myself from a lot of the world. Having children gave me a buffer that I often used and appreciated. My husband’s health issues early in our marriage warranted use of that shield. The pandemic and his frequent and long hospitalizations strengthened the absolute need for that barrier.

My kids are teenagers now and don’t need – or WANT – me to protect them anymore. My husband and partner in potential adventure is no longer with us. It’s just me on the couch with two persnickety dogs. I’m mostly OK with that. I don’t mind being alone to putter around the house with no expectations on my shoulders.

Lately, I’ve been pushing myself to get up off of the couch and go back out into the world a little. Baby steps – I’m going to places filled with familiar faces and warm hugs. That’s pretty easy. But then came invitations to step further outside my comfort zone and I’ve been nudging myself away from the No Thank You zone into the Yes, Sure, Why Not territory

I was invited to an event in town that I knew I’d enjoy but didn’t know the person who invited me very well. When thinking about getting there, I was a little concerned about my struggle with driving at night. When someone’s in the passenger seat to help guide me, it’s not so bad but I was on my own. So, I took a deep breath, accepted convincing encouragement from the more experienced teens and downloaded Uber.I took my very first rideshare and was pleased! Ive obviously taken cabs and local trains and buses, but this was foreign territory,

On the way there, the driver was silent and efficient. On the way home, after a fantastic fun night out, that driver was friendly, chatty, and we had great conversation. It was during that ride that I made another outside-the-box decision, I’ve been invited to a sibling gathering at my brother’s house in Maryland and I think I’ve decided to take the train from Atlanta to Baltimore! Why not? The teens will be in school, don’t need me at home, why add the miles to my car and my psyche?

I’ve flown plenty – thanks to a heavy travel job – and used to enjoy it but since 9/11, it’s not fun anymore, I’m not worried about terrorists, but the safety protocols have sucked the joy out and the airline industry has cancelled the comfort so now I only fly when necessary.  I also never had any interest in cruises. The idea of being trapped in a fancy resort hotel on the ocean never appealed to me. But I’m reconsidering.

Many friends rave about the International Blues Cruise. Maybe that’s for me. Or perhaps a Mississippi Riverboat Cruise is the way to go. That seems like something I’d love. I’m considering planning a sisters (and mom) river cruise and looking into that. If I can get a handle on my sea sickness (I puke every time I’m on a sailboat), maybe that’s for me!

All I really know for certain is that I’m the only one who has any real say in what I do. My husband and I were a terrific team – figuring it out together.  I hold all the cards now and, for better or worse, can drive the bus, board the train, set sail, or just travel in my mind. What an adventure it will be!

If I get back up off this couch.