Mar 30, 2025

Living in Unconditional Love (211)

 

“Love flows from God to humans without effort:

As a bird glides through the air without moving its wings-

Thus, they go wherever they wish united in body and soul,

Yet separate in form.”

–Mechtild of Magdeburg

 

My wife Eileen died from esophageal cancer in February 2020 one year after being diagnosed, 60 years after we met on Long Island. Then my brother Tom became ill (not COVID), and I spent a total of six weeks being with him in Ohio, but he died in October 2020. My sister-in-law Sue Mahoney died from Covid-19 in January 2021. On top of it all stood the pandemic, locking everyone down almost two years. Covid has proved to be a persistent problem, and many of the long-term effects are quite serious, and it has proven much more serious than flu.

03/30/2025                                      The trip home was uneventful, and I arrived on time Thursday afternoon. It was good getting home. Dan is in Norway at a conference so he could not take me to the airport, so the entire family took me to the airport, and I was thankful Alesandra was there (and the three little ones, mostly asleep, Alesandra’s mom, and the maid) as the check-in point for first class was way far away from the main check-in areas. I flew Latham, the Peruvian airline associated with Delta, both ways to JFK and from Atlanta. Once checked in (the flight was at midnight) I went to the lounge for a couple of hours and then on to the plane around 11. It was a Boeing 757 wide-body and comfortable. I slept on and off, probably more than I thought, and we landed at JFK at 8:45am on time. The time change (Peru does not do daylight-savings time) was easy as it just seemed natural after that long a flight.

I had spent much of the days before I left looking at the ocean while the kids were at school (I still find it amazing that Madison, who just turned 2, is at school) and then trying to interact with the kids (they can be frisky after a few hours at school). We went on Tuesday after school (they only go until about 1) to buy presents for the kids (jewelry) for their birthdays and then ate out at TGIF. A big soccer game was on with Peru playing someone, and all were watching the game with lots of cheers and boos at various times. Just as we were leaving it was a break in the game, and a small band consisting of a leader, a trombone player, and a drummer marched up and down the isles blasting away to everyone’s enjoyment.

While it can be extremely noisy with the kids (5, almost 4, and 2) much of the time, it is good to see how well they play together, at least the older two. Madison, being just 2, often plays by herself. She is a big girl, but all girl. Madison runs everywhere, and she is very fast. She is in the top 10 percentile in size, and full of energy. She seldom naps, but every once in a while, she is quiet and can be found fast asleep somewhere (she often hides well).

It is much cooler here than in Peru, but the spring flowers are starting. The Winter Aconite, snowdrops, and crocus are all in bloom, and the daffodils are all up but not yet blooming. I think that will be a few weeks from now, depending on the temperature. I did see snow in a few sheltered places, but not much.

Today, Saturday, is my brother’s birthday. He would have been 96, and I was blessed to spend several weeks with him shortly before he died in 2020.

I am slowly adjusting to being home. I picked up three bags of mail I must sort, did grocery shopping, and am slowly settling in.

And yes, it is good to be home in the quiet of this house.

Meditation

Gentle One, You have graced me with a long life and the wonders of grandchildren who are a delight. Eileen would have loved being with the little ones I have been so privileged to see from Drew and Dan and Alesandra. I am thankful for this opportunity to feel the love and joy of family, even though I am slowing down I can still live alone and travel to see so many.