Pamela flew out to London today—even now she is soaring over the Atlantic, hunched low in her uncomfortable seat, filled with excitement and anxiety and loneliness. I am also full of those things, for she is flying out of my life at the same time. It was very difficult for me to let her go. Pamela has been my longest-running assignment, and she has roused powerful emotions in me. It was with her that I first used anger as a…
Today was a good day, a quiet, lovely day with potential in the air. I am not quite certain what it is potential for, but something is happening, that is certain. My newest charge, Ted, heard from the woman he met at the wedding, Elaine. She was passing through his town and messaged him to invite him to meet her for coffee. He was intrigued, and remembering how much he enjoyed his time with her at the wedding, he messaged…
Tonight was a special night for Shannon—it was her first date with Oliver. She was nervous, which in Shannon comes across as defensive, and I had a difficult time convincing her not to cancel the whole thing. In the end, however, she was glad that she did not. I think it is good that she is following something of a structure in her relationship with Oliver. She never once went out on a date with Thomas, and with Mark before…
Something happened with Grace today that has worried her, though it may have helped her relationship with Con. She had a doctor’s appointment at which all was not entirely as the doctor would have liked, and so her OB-GYN asked her to return for a second test a few hours after the first. Grace was anxious, but as of yet nothing has been confirmed to be wrong, so she didn’t want to panic anyone. “Why don’t you call Con?” I…
Brid and I were both out today in support of Harrington. For the first time since his injury, he went out of town, taking a train to the neighboring city where his old friend Jared lives. The journey was physically difficult for him—he used two canes to walk, which left him in a great deal of pain though he did not have to walk far. The destination was emotionally difficult, for not only was he nervous about meeting an old…
Today I was with Ted, who had cleaned himself up and left his usual habitat for a finer scene. His cousin was getting married, and he attended the wedding. I went with him, because at the forefront of Ted’s thoughts was the possibility of finding someone to spend the time with the evening after the wedding, and I wondered if there might be a match for him there. Well, I am still not certain that there was, but I certainly…
I stopped by to check on Shannon this evening. She was meeting Oliver for drinks, but she had had a very difficult day at work, and so she was considering calling him to cancel. I considered it, too—Shannon in a bad mood can be exceptionally sharp. But in the end she wanted to see him, and I hoped in turn that he might have a calming influence on her. She sighed with relief on stepping into the bar. “It is…
A human life is often measured with ceremonies. A prenatal sonogram, a child’s christening, a series of graduations as one progresses through education, one’s first day at a new job, a marriage, the signing of the deed to a home. These great moments stand like borders around the day-to-day life in which most of the wonderful things in life happen; they are the landmarks by which memories are set and personalities are shaped. I saw all of this in the…
Today was a good day. I have had the privilege to be in attendance at some lovely occasions, full of light and love—Tammy and Lamarr’s wedding comes to mind, of course. But what happened today, though simpler, rivals even that beautiful day in its peace and hope. Grace’s pregnancy has reached its halfway point. She can feel the baby as more than just a flutter and calls it Truman. This was a suggestion of her father’s which made everyone laugh—I…
I met the first of my new charges today, and I am excited to begin working with him. Collaboration is always a rewarding experience, but I will also enjoy the chance to stretch my new wing and find out what I can accomplish on my own again. His name is Theodore Hudson, though his friends call him Ted. He is thirty-eight years old and lives in Vermont, on the shores of Lake Champlain. The lake occupies much of his life:…