At Home

What to write here?

The last few days have been wonderful, difficult, emotional, and tiring. 

Coming home will do that to a person. 

Dealing with medical issues with an aging parent will do that to a person.

I write this from my mom's cozy living room on New Year's Eve. We're listening to music, having eaten our pizza and junk food for the night. An hour remains before it officially turns 2023 in this time zone. We've been talking all night about this and that - Christmases past, family memories, our jobs, our lives, and everything in between. I needed it.

I haven't worked on my novel, but I may in a few minutes. A nice way to ring in the New Year, eh?

Thursday and Friday I spent time with my brothers and my father as we dealt with a health setback for him. Decisions need to be made, and they're hard ones (he's okay, but things are different now for a variety of reasons), and I'm not ready to make them. I don't like being at the age where I'm concerned about my parents' health and financial situations, and they need my help and input. I'm very glad my two brothers and I get along well and we can have discussions about hard topics without stepping on toes. Many families don't have such an experience.

My hometown has changed a lot since I left 25 years ago. Some families from my childhood still live here, others have moved on, and new ones have moved in. I've recognized several people in my forays into the small grocery store, hardware store, and restaurants, but many others remain strangers to me. I almost feel like a stranger, unable to see myself as part of this community any longer. I've officially lived most of my life in the city I currently reside in now. 

But it will always be home.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is "Christmas Eve in My Hometown" by Kate Smith. It's a 1940s song, which is fitting, and whenever I listen to it, I think about my childhood Christmases in this, my hometown. Those will forever be the best Christmases ever. 

This is a rambling post. That's okay. I'm in a rambling mood. Lots of emotions to process. I've felt particularly nostalgic this Christmas. Getting older does that to a person, I suppose.