A Fellow Traveller

A house in our neighbourhood that was becoming neglected and run down, gained new owners about ten years ago. These people have consistently made improvements, starting with an in-ground pool that replaced a sandy beach volleyball site in the back yard. Flowerbeds and lawns have become more impressive, and the roof, front door and windows have recently been replaced. This last month, a new surface of brown stucco replaced weathered wood siding, enhancing the brick around it. This morning I had a chance to talk to one of the owners as she left for work. "You must feel good, now that you have things looking so nice," was how I greeted her. Her response of, " Now we have to work on the inside ," made me start thinking. Is there no time to enjoy what has already been accomplished? They had painted inside as soon as they arrived and I thought things still looked good. Renovating seems to be a cycle that continues as we get more resources and our needs change. As I made c...

It was the fourth of July twenty-two years ago when our morning wedding was followed by an early afternoon reception. After celebrating with family and friends, we headed off to Toronto to begin our honeymoon. We recall being hungry and finding a Red Lobster Restaurant across the street. Last night we gathered once again at a Red Lobster, only this time with four teenagers and two sets of parents. It was nice to celebrate in this way, since it is a rare event for all our kids to be home at the same time. We were also celebrating the realization that when you marry an individual, you can't really separate them from their family of origin. You leave your parents to marry, cleaving to someone else and forming a new family unit. Yet that person you marry comes with a whole set of expectations and needs arising from how they were raised. It seems that parental influence continues under the surface, whether we are aware of it or not. We've moved past romantic love as being the basis ...