So last week I went to a friends funeral. I’ve known him for over ten years and I didn’t even know he was a Buddist. When I walked into his service there was about thirty minutes of chanting. My chest was vibrating and I felt the urge to join in and chant right along but I had no clue what they were saying. It was beautiful though. I know my friend would have been proud. Another old friend came with his wife to see our mutual aquaintence off into the beyond. We were so close for many years. I hadn’t seen him much for the past year or more. His face had grown a bit older but the man was still there that I thought so highly of for so many years. An odd feeling of whos next came over me. Would it be me or one of my friends. Would it be a family member. It took a couple of days for the numb feelings to subside and for life’s busy bee behavior to kick back in. I am reminded of the fact that life is short and lessons should be learned the first time and not after multiple times, when possible. Things are going really good for me these days except for the fact that as soon as I started getting back into the rat race and smiling again… well…my cat passed away and I stayed up until almost midnight burying him in the back yard. He was a member of the family and will be missed. I think sometime soon I will find a quiet place and come up with my own chant. I will hum and ryme and vibrate a good rant for kitty, for all those who are struggling today. For the things that God sees when he looks at our vast predicaments, our vicissitude.
Mothers Day is cool
Absent are the words of good man trying to write a verse or two without the deeds of his mother. Nonexistent are the words written by an old radical without the gift of birth by his good mother. All the motorcycles and all the dancing women can’t hold a candle to the voice of my sweat mother calling from Alabama. I do love you mother. The soft words of my beautiful wife as she whispers goodnight to our children are as powerful as a lion taking on the jungle on any given night and I love all the mothers that know that they are a gift from God and a thorn in the devil’s side. Hang your learned heads high today and tonight all you mothers of the world and accept this stranger’s weak jester of thanks for all the healed bo bos, and mashed potatoes, forehead kisses, chicken dinners and more, Nameste.
Check out my new book Transitions on Amazon! I’m very proud of this new work.
amazon.com/author/robertmilstid
What next?
At times, Transitions seemed to take a life of its own. I was actually experiencing some of the protagonist’s character’s cathartic revelations during the process of putting the book’s story together. I am still presently working in a memory care center and as the character of Earl, I am blessed to experience the day-to-day struggles and victories of those around me. Dementia is a nightmare but the human spirit endures in spite of this affliction. The children of those suffering from Alzheimer’s are true warriors. Every day is a challenge and I truly admire the few that I have been able to meet and learn from.
Transitions is compassionate to the struggle of memory care and those involved in this fight. I hope those who read it receive the blessings of knowing they are not alone in this struggle and find some insight into the world of memory care for their loved one that Alzheimer’s and Dementia have brought them into.
My book, The Consequences of Breathing reveals a man’s journey to reinvent himself and find comfort in his own skin after his marriage of twenty years suddenly comes to an end. This should be out by the end of 2013. Like Earl, from Transitions, the book’s leading man finds the road to recovery and reinvention is a long and unfamiliar one, but victory is worth every step and is the only worthy goal.
We’re Married!
This week is my four year anniversary to an amazing woman. I wrote about her as the character of Pearl in my first novel, The Consequences of Breathing. I then wrote about her as the character, Ella, in my latest book, Transitions. Happy anniversary baby. I’m lucky.
rmilstid 