Adventure 450: The Story of George, 27

February 19, 2018

We took two days off in real time from seeing George as an experiment to test his independence. He seemed alright this morning. He ate a good breakfast, took his morning pills, but he seemed a little pensive. It could be nothing. He also continues to forget his evening pills. He did warm up a little when Kelly, the home health nurse made her weekly visit this morning, and by the time we left, he was fairly effusive, which is good.

Consider these words from Lewis Smedes: "Forgiving does not erase the bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory. Instead, forgiving what we cannot forget creates a new way to remember. We change the memory of our past into a hope for our future..." to forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that that prisoner was you.  I'm sure my siblings have complicated feelings about George. I've been examining my own for years. Lately, I've come to realize that a generous spirit toward the man's failings is helping me to accept my own. It feels soothing, like healing. I used to tell my students who were struggling with the divorce of their parents (Which often happens when a child is around twelve) that there was one thing in life I knew for sure: "You either have a relationship with your parents, or you want one". I'm taking what time George has left to allow him to grow in his role as father, which means, of course, that I must grow in my role as son. I believe that is why the sun comes up every day: it's a promise that things have a chance to be brighter.

 George (On the left) was president of the student body as a senior in high school.

 George was always happiest out in nature.

And, of course, when he was on the way to catch fish.