Mindset: Melancholy - Tommy returned from Paris and appreciated the room upgrades. He made a few changes but nothing I take issue with. Lauren's visit has been very pleasant. We ran errands and played skipbo, visited my mom, LGCafe breakfast… the usual. But it's bittersweet because she'll be returning to school and I know that's best. The holiday season is here. My brother will be visiting for a full week. I feel somewhat conscious of and sensitive to the likelihood that mom my will face struggles, and I foresee an end of an era and possibly inter-family tensions that I hope to head off with some clear intentions and understandings up front. It'll require some direct conversations with David to make sure we can navigate the road ahead with patience and integrity. Also, for my kids, their futures and our relationships are certainly going to change as they should, but in some ways I anticipate a divide and distance too. It'll require my relinquishing the very strong attachment I have to my role as a parent and allow the understandable change to adult-adult. 2024 will be a challenging transitional period.
Goals: enjoy the connection without expecting permeance in anything, as nothing is.
Anticipation: David Benoit tonight
Wants: a signed copy of "Christmastime".
