Today is April 1, 2019. As of yesterday I have been a resident of San Antonio for two years. And yesterday I was feeling down and out and a bit blue until I realized that two years ago last month everything in my life shifted, an earthquake of feelings where all the treasured landmarks of my life went topsy-turvy. And the loss of everything took over. My dearest friend, partner in crime and lover of 58 years was gone and I rode away from all things familiar into a new life in a new city comforted only by my son and his family and a friend from childhood.
They say change is good and I'm still working on that one. Last year I upgraded to a bigger apartment giving me an office and studio and a wonderful balcony with a beautiful view of the Texas hill country. I hung the hummingbird feeders this week and within twenty minutes I had customers. Again I'm sure one of them is He Who Sleeps a Lot coming back to check on me. And he ain't sleeping anymore...he's very busy.
Today our facility goes under new management and a name change to Discovery Village at the Dominion and we are all anxiously awaiting improvements. Discovery Senior Living has years of experience so they should know what works and what doesn't where the previous owners were on a learning curve from the get go.
I've traveled and had some wonderful experiences with friends and family and am looking forward to more this year. I just returned from Mexico, will go to Colorado next month and to Costa Rica in June. I have learned in all of this that I am no spring chicken any more and cannot manage long air travel and don't do well at 7000'. However I have much to look forward to.
My creative self needed a boost and the art retreat in Mexico was just right. I haven't been painting or writing....is that part of the grief process? Maybe. I remember a good friend, fabulous portrait painter, just quit painting when her husband died. At the time I didn't get it but I do now. Weird, isn't it? As an art therapist you would think that would be the first thing I would turn to but I'm relieved the muse has finally reappeared and I'm ready to see where she takes me.
I remember at a conference one time a speaker saying "The best thing you can teach your children is the ability to adjust to change." He was right! Change is the constant in our lives and the challenge to growing old with grace and wisdom.
