Jesus, did everyone get sick for the holidays?
href="http://mechaieh.diaryland.com">Mechaieh and
href="http://miguelito.diaryland.com">Miguelito had colds, T2 had a stomach
virus, thereby missing one of the few meat meals he gets to eat (Egret is a
vegetarian, and he emphatically is not), and my sister-in-law's mother had a
stroke Thanksgiving morning. This would be the Evil SIL married to Rudder's
brother, not the sister-un-law I'll meet in two weeks who lives with my brother.
My in-laws were out there for the holiday. Now, I can't think of any
good way to react to the news that your mother, two states away, has had a stroke,
especially if you actually like your mother. And my in-laws, being kind and caring
people who worry about the happiness of their sons, try very, very hard to view
the ESIL in a positive light. Given those two factors, I have to interpret their
guarded description of events, along with the cautious use of words like "extreme
overreaction" to mean that the ESIL completely wigged out. I suppose if you are
going to lose it entirely, a major health crisis on the part of someone very dear
to you is an appropriate time, but I can't help but think it's better to control
yourself so as to be of more help to the person actually having the crisis. I keep
thinking of Mistress Sinister's
determination to be there where her mother needs her, despite her own worry and
distress, in strong contrast. I dunno, maybe I'm just not being empathetic
enough. I just hope my principles aren't tested any time soon.
Maybe
I just find it easier to condole with fictional characters. I'm rooting hard for
Elizabeth Patterson to dump her awful boyfriend, in
href="http://www.fbofw.com/strip_fix/index.html">For Better or For Worse, even
while I admire how Lynn Johnston has subtly built his awfulness up from little
hints to the point where even the besotted Liz can't ignore it. Her friend
Candace's advice should be a mantra for any battered or abused woman: "Then, you
have to ask yourself...'Does being in love mean I Have to put up with
@$%#@&#?' "
Today I am thankful for: the fact that
everyone I care most about seems to be in reasonably good physical and mental
health, barring a few minor illnesses and chronic, treatable
conditions.
Concept II Holiday Challenge: 152096 meters left -
- nearly 1/4 done!