Yesterday marked two months since Louis’ funeral and burial. On the one hand, it is not a significant time period in the scheme of the things, but on the other hand, Louis and I have never been physically apart from one another for that length of time - so it seems like a very long time ago.

April was a blur with its lists of things to do: paperwork galore to be completed, retrieving lost or forgotten items, extra grocery shopping, and numerous trips to and from the airport as family members tried to stay afloat with work commitments while supporting me in funeral and burial plans and preparations. The month of May was full of unexpected but welcomed travel to the North Shore, Shreveport, LA and Colorado Springs, CO. There was barely time to catch my breath.

Now June is here and there is no getting around the fact a new normal has arrived in my life. There is plenty yet to do; devising a new schedule for myself, beginning the task of decluttering, downsizing a bit and simply taking on the responsibility for the condo and its finances.

There are enough moving parts in all of this new normal to make me a little nervous. That IS normal. I know that.
These new tasks and duties will take time to become “routine”. I know that, too.
But every once in a while, I find myself asking, ”Louis, I need to ask you how you did this…”

Big sigh...

Yesterday, I was poking around the top of his desk, carefully lifting piles of paper he had clearly arranged (in his order of such things) when I found a folder with the heading neatly labeled “HOW TO DO IT”. Within this folder he had clearly printed out directions for finding some crucial items to access on his computer.

I grinned and “told" him that he knew me well. For years I had asked him to write down directions for the day when I would need to pick up these duties.

One day at a time. Like the manna provided for the Israelites as they sojourned in the desert, I pray for the grace to survive this new wilderness journey one day at a time.

Continue to pray for all those who are in need and have asked for our prayers.

Nancy