My mother calls me every Saturday morning.  Last week, I missed the call because I was finally taking some time to clean my home. For the past few weeks, I have been having meetings on Zoom or working.

She asked as she always does,” are you working today”? No, I’m not working. I’m cleaning the house, so I missed your call. I was downstairs putting some clothes in the washer.”

“ How are you doing?” “I’m fine. I didn’t want to bother you because I knew that you had been working too much. I just wanted to check in to see how you were doing. Your uncle is going back to his home on Friday. Your cousin is coming to pick him up. He says he needs to get home to take care of some business. You know I think he was lonely.”

Of course, he is lonely. It’s challenging for older people at this time because they are so isolated from their families. It must have been terrible for him to be home with no one to talk to. She reminded me that he was still working at the age of 89.  The pandemic forced him home.  He’s been calling his sisters every day, sometimes two and three times a day. My mother and my two aunts are the older sisters.  They are all over 80, and two of them are over 90.  They are among the funniest and smartest women I know.  So that translates into up to nine touches with them each day. So many people don’t have such a close-knit family.  We are fortunate. 

My mother called again today to wish me a happy birthday and a blessed year.  I told her it will be after Tuesday.  She said, don’t worry because I just told God he has to answer my prayer.  She said she has been praying every day.  She talked to a friend who says she will leave the US and my mother asked to go with her.  I couldn’t imagine her not being here, but I can totally understand.  Besides, I can’t travel to see her anyway, and if I could, I would like it to be a great place. She deserves it.

I am holding my breath.  Four years ago, I was so sure of a victory, but this year, I am not because there are so many factors that can cause this to go wrong.  I am mourning the supreme court loss, the loss of federal court judges, the environment, trust in our government, and plain old honesty and decency.  This has been a tough four years. Whatever the outcome, we have to put ourselves together and recommit to the fight.

 “A loving heart is the truest wisdom.” Charles Dickens