Friday, June 04, 2004
There has been an abrupt and most unfortunate change in plans. My Mother appears about to end her full and very long life, and it is time for the family to gather 'round. Matthew is flying in from China, Paola and the kids from Italy, Ellen has been found, already nearby in New York City. The Peace Corps provided a car to transport Deena, who just found out this morning that her Father suddenly died, and me from the Morogoro meeting to the PC headquarters in Dar es Salaam. Another driver will take us to the airport in about half an hour, and we will catch the night flight to Amsterdam and on home.
Odd juxtaposition of gain and loss. I see by checking their website that DHL just this morning delivered the tickets I bought to bring Myrna from Guatemala to Africa. Now I hope those can be changed to bring her to Philadelphia so she can be part of the family before we both travel on to Africa. So in a very short time frame here I expect to gain Myrna but lose my Mother.
That cannot help bringing back memories of 1995 and the death of my wife Nancy within a week of the birth of my first grandson Roy. At that time I felt absolutely pulled in two by the simultaneous joy of birth and the grief of Nancy's loss.
Looks like our driver has arrived. Hopefully he has my tickets and itinerary. Schifel (?) Airport in Amsterdam is well equipped with internet facilities, so I should be able to advise Allegra and Glenn of my arrival time from there.
Odd juxtaposition of gain and loss. I see by checking their website that DHL just this morning delivered the tickets I bought to bring Myrna from Guatemala to Africa. Now I hope those can be changed to bring her to Philadelphia so she can be part of the family before we both travel on to Africa. So in a very short time frame here I expect to gain Myrna but lose my Mother.
That cannot help bringing back memories of 1995 and the death of my wife Nancy within a week of the birth of my first grandson Roy. At that time I felt absolutely pulled in two by the simultaneous joy of birth and the grief of Nancy's loss.
Looks like our driver has arrived. Hopefully he has my tickets and itinerary. Schifel (?) Airport in Amsterdam is well equipped with internet facilities, so I should be able to advise Allegra and Glenn of my arrival time from there.
