Telephone Poles

Sometimes it becomes extremely difficult to know what to share on this site.

This week marked an event that was fun, difficult, significant and yet not so.  To most who read this post it would be nothing significant.  To me, three years ago it would not have been.  Today, to me, looking back, the past six days have been another milestone.

Six days ago I embarked, with Hobo in the back of the Jeep along with at least a ton of hand and bench woodworking tools, to Mobile Alabama.  Good friends of many years have retired there and moved into a lovely new home on Rabbit Creek, just off Mobile Bay.  They'd invited me to be their first guest in their wonderful new home.

Awhile back, Bonnie and I had joyfully offered to help them move in.  We'd been excited for them and were looking forward to sharing that meaningful event.  Who could have known that our plans would not unfold as we'd thought they would?  Who could have guessed that I'd share the event with Mike and Gail without Bonnie?

For the past five months I've been pushing the edge of an envelope that to most would seem insignificant.  To me, just a short while ago, it would have been insignificant as well. It has been extremely difficult for me to be away from this little cabin by the lake.  I could easily stay here; never leaving; becoming a hermit. 

Bonnie would not want that.  I joked with her friend Virginia the other evening that Bonnie might meet us at the gate to heaven in a mood we wouldn't appreciate if we allowed our grief to overcome us. 

I've been intentionally doing things that have been unbelievably difficult in order to live up to what Bonnie would expect of me.  This week was one of those times. 

Six days, five nights.  A new record. 

I went to Mobile, helped my friends build a "banquette" in their new home, and pushed the edge of an envelope.  Six days, five nights.  A record.  An accomplishment.  A milestone. 

Tonight, I am exhausted.  I'm spent.  Done.  But, I pray to our only God, that Bonnie is smiling.  I pray that she is glad that I am pushing that envelope.  I seem to have done so all my life and she was the main reason I would not give up when others might have.  She is the reason I put one foot in front of the other now.  I continue to breathe.   I keep walking.

That is what she wants.  I know that.  We discussed it.  We were able to do that because of our love for one another.

What is next?  Seven days?  Six nights?  Just another step?  Another telephone pole?

Last year the next telephone pole was Bonnie's goal in gaining strength.  This year, another day away from this little cabin by the lake is my goal....not that I want to be away.....but Bonnie worked so hard for that next telephone pole, can I do anything less?