Welcome Home
Simple words spoken daily, by many in both comfortable and complex worlds.
I heard those words as my children and I arrived at the orphanage building where I was born. Here I am, standing by the baptismal font I was held over 78 years ago. The social worker who welcomed me home told my children, “this is your story too.”
Your story.
Yes. We are our stories, and those of us who are privileged to grow old are also able to share our stories with family and friends.
Aging is a privilege. Sometimes, the aches and pains can dominate our day. At other times, like on the trip I recently took with my children to the orphanage — to the church and school I attended as a youngster — I felt fortunate.
My son had his hand around my shoulder more often on this trip. My daughter waited, stopped and watched on each stairway as I walked down. At a family gathering after a wedding, the group photo was organized around the elders sitting in a row with our children behind us.
I don’t want to take this time for granted. I’m the oldest in the family. Not sure that I’m a matriarch, as I don’t rule anyone. But sharing stories, wisdom learned from adventures, mistakes, accomplishments — that I can do. And I can luxuriate in the love of everyone younger than me.
Treasuring aging, every day we are here, is for the lucky. As we drove the miles between my birth city and my current home, we talked about others who had moved away from home. Some by choice, as an adventure, but many out of necessity. And many of those people did not, and currently do not, have the privilege of growing old.
I continue to receive postcards with this same message. To treasure the day, to tell our story. If you would like to join the postcard page, here is the link. Postcard Project. If you would like to share your insights on what it means to you to age, just comment to this blog.
Welcome home. To this place in our world, to the place we came from, to all the homes we have shared. Welcome home to life.
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If you would like to read my book, here is how to find it:
- On the web through Bookshop, Amazon, Thriftbooks, Barnes & Noble.
- In Española, you can buy signed copies at Presbyterian Española Hospital Gift Shop. or Rancho de Chimayo Restaurant in Chimayo, NM.
- In Santa Fe, NM stop by Collected Works, Garcia Street Books, or op.cit. to pick up a copy. If they don’t have it in stock, they can order it.
- In St. Albans, VT Eloquent Page has signed copies for you.
- In Berkeley, CA, Books, Inc. is now stocking “Touching the Veil”
- If you would like a signed copy please email me at morselsofmarita@gmail.com.
- Any bookstore can order Touching the Veil from IngramSpark
