I'll take two please...
When my Father first retired, Ethel said to him "We haven't had lunch for 30 years and I have no intention of doing so now." However, quickly they became inseparable. Always close, their connection grew so strong that ultimately neither could live without the other.
For five months Frank and I were
basically together 24/7. I must
admit that spending most of our
waking hours que deux was
initially quite awkward for both
of us. I really didn't belong at
home during the day. Yet I spread
out my stuff to take over a
portion of Frank's calm and
tranquil world. In essence I was
a stranger in a very familiar place.
They say you marry your Mother.
Well, one day Frank turned to me
and said "You're going to have to
get an office". I was shocked given
I had been enjoying our new found
intimacy. But he was right. The fact
is that we all need our own "space".
The breakfast bar became my office
and the bedroom Frank's. We each
carved out a place where we
could focus on our parts of our
collective world. As the days grew
into months we slowly got into a
rhythm and figured things out.
Any strong relationship must truly be a partnership. However, a united front doesn't mean you have to do everything together. Life is certainly much easier when you share a common vision, goals, and desires. We're quite blessed as we rarely disagree especially given many couples struggle with alignment. When new opportunities arose, we went through the selection process together. Our "team" accepted my new position, the one that we felt was best for both of us.
Then suddenly, our new 24/7 life
came to a quick, screeching halt.
You see, I have to go to work now.
That means that I no longer have
the privilege of spending all of my
time with the one I love. Once again
our daytime hours are separated into
two distinct entities. That's good as
we've rediscovered the benefits of
time spent apart. Every evening is a
reunion. A quick call from the office
is the highlight of one's day. That's
because they remind us that we share
something that is special and unique.
For years we've lived apart during the summer months.
The question is how will we balance our relationship between Montana and Manhattan? Frankly I'm not worried.
Our bond is stronger than ever.
