I set my alarm to wake me up so I could check in for my flight right at the time it opened. My efforts bore fruit, as I got very early B group for both flights. Not the best, but since people do tend to travel in groups, my chances of getting an aisle seat are pretty good as long as I’m willing to sit near the back of the plane.
I thought about getting up after the alarm, but then I started reading instead and then I got very sleepy. So I set my alarm for 30 minutes and tried to catch a nap, but of course, I couldn’t fall asleep once I started trying to let myself. I haven’t done my meditation much on this trip, so I decided to go ahead and do it this morning. I cried a lot.
There’s a part of the meditation where I think about other people who are going through grief. I have a college friend who lost her husband the same month I lost mine, a former co-worker who lost her husband in the fall, and an old school friend who just lost her mother. I’ve added her to the list as of this morning.
I’m approaching the 5 month mark. I kind of wish that I had decided to stay in Chicago through that day, but that’s not the way things are going to happen. I’m looking forward to going home even as I’m not looking forward to traveling. But, on the bright side, I’m not feeling the terrible tummy pains I was before I traveled here. I’ve been eating all kinds of food, so I have no idea what helped.
In the evening, I went to Zoo Lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo with my brother, sister-in-law and two of my nieces (the third having another social engagement). After that, we went to dinner with my parents and my step-mom’s step-mom, who was widowed nearly 21 years ago.
She gave me a book on grief to read.
When I got back to my brother’s, I got packed up, and then finished watching season 1 of Bad Sisters, which my sister-in-law and I had been watching together. An excellent show. But I was too tired to remember to post anything here.
I woke up at 5, after less than 4 hours of sleep. My dad picked me up and took me to the airport. I cried at our goodbye. I didn’t care on this leg that people could see me crying. Most people in airports have mastered the art of ignoring others. The only person to really meet my eyes and smile on my travels was a habit wearing nun.
I dozed some on the flight to Las Vegas, and read on the leg to Boise. The flights were uneventful, thank goodness. I’m at a friend’s house in Boise now. He’ll take me home tomorrow.
I probably won’t stay up for the new year, but I do have a family zoom this evening. That will be the extent of the new year’s celebration for me.
I’ve still got to do my exercises today. I suppose now is as good a time as any.