I think it just comes down to that life is bigger than any one experience. Same way this pandemic sucks, but for many of us there are good things about time together at home, even if we didn't choose it. I feel the same way about my husband's deployments. They weren't fun. But my kids were fun ages, and as nice as it is to share the burdens of running a home, there is also something nice to pure autonomy.
I think that you can "enjoy" some of these memories because you now know the outcome. I often think about that when I watch WWII movies -- we all know what happened, so it's hard to imagine the anxiety and terror at the time. We can enjoy the privilege of knowing that the ending was a happy (or at least a relief) for many people. Enjoy your "movie" now! And congrats about the colonoscopy.
We're coming up on one year of an unexpected, and non-linear, chronic illness in one of our kids, and reading this made me cry, because we're still so in the middle of it. I love the line about the stickers. For the first few months, our then-12yo still got excited about stickers from the phlebotomist. Now, at 13, the stickers do nothing. It's hard to believe that she's changed so much and so quickly, yet the disease is still plodding along. Thanks for your writing.
I think it just comes down to that life is bigger than any one experience. Same way this pandemic sucks, but for many of us there are good things about time together at home, even if we didn't choose it. I feel the same way about my husband's deployments. They weren't fun. But my kids were fun ages, and as nice as it is to share the burdens of running a home, there is also something nice to pure autonomy.
I'm so glad Clio is well. (And you, too!)
Really enjoyed your take, Jane!
Fucking hell, Jane, this is a magnificent piece. Love you all.
Again a beautiful and tough piece. I love your honesty
I think that you can "enjoy" some of these memories because you now know the outcome. I often think about that when I watch WWII movies -- we all know what happened, so it's hard to imagine the anxiety and terror at the time. We can enjoy the privilege of knowing that the ending was a happy (or at least a relief) for many people. Enjoy your "movie" now! And congrats about the colonoscopy.
We're coming up on one year of an unexpected, and non-linear, chronic illness in one of our kids, and reading this made me cry, because we're still so in the middle of it. I love the line about the stickers. For the first few months, our then-12yo still got excited about stickers from the phlebotomist. Now, at 13, the stickers do nothing. It's hard to believe that she's changed so much and so quickly, yet the disease is still plodding along. Thanks for your writing.