Fall\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Waxing Blood Moon<\/p>\n
“There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way, and not to give others absurd maddening claims upon it.” – Christopher Morley<\/p>\n
It’s not the only success, but it’s sure right up there with love and family.\u00a0 Self-direction has always been at or near the top of my list and I’ve been lucky enough to find significant folks, Kate especially, who’ve honored the way I choose to live my life.<\/p>\n
Long ago, before college, I decided I would never do anything that violated my own values.\u00a0 Never was a young man’s word, but the spirit of that vow has guided me well enough for over 45 years.\u00a0 Have I violated my own values?\u00a0 Of course, I have.\u00a0 Life happens.\u00a0 The essence of that commitment though is what Morley says, the ability to spend life in my own way.\u00a0 That means accepting the consequences, bad and good.<\/p>\n
Sad news tonight.\u00a0 My aunt Barbara, my mother’s sister, had one child, Melissa.\u00a0 Barbara suffered from bipolar disorder and spent most of her life in state hospitals.\u00a0 She had a run of stable years during which she gave birth to Melissa.\u00a0 That was 40 years ago.\u00a0 Melissa died a a couple of days ago.\u00a0 She had re-entered family life only recently, we didn’t know where she was, so I did not know her well, but she was a first cousin and the first of us to die.\u00a0 There were 12 of us, now there are 11.<\/p>\n
She leaves behind a son, John, and husband, Paul.\u00a0 Her mother’s life was difficult from the very beginning and my sense from the brief contact I had with her is that Melissa’s life was not easy either.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fall\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Waxing Blood Moon “There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way, and not to give others absurd maddening claims upon it.” – Christopher Morley It’s not the only success, but it’s sure right up there with love and family.\u00a0 Self-direction has always been at or … Continue reading Live Your Own Life<\/span>