Infected by Elections

  

The “candidate” Jeffrey Larris, my friend, Mindy Duitz Larris, their daughter, Siena Duitz Larris.

Every night, as I sleep, I can count on being entertained/terrorized by whatever has run across my consciousness that previous day or days. Last night’s dream starred none other than my good friend, Jeffrey Larris, who was poised in the dream to run for some office. For those of you who know Jeffrey, politics would probably be the last occupation for which he’d be selected or elected. We love him dearly, but he is a candid person. Enough said.

No doubt, this wacky dream which has me living in a converted school building, has been inspired by the recent announcement that my real-life son-in-law, Mike, is running for City Council. Back to the converted school building. Part of it remains a school with classrooms intact. The other half is apartments, one of which is where I am living with my small child – no resemblance to any of my children. Another apartment is where Mindy, my friend and Jeffrey’s wife, live with their small child, no resemblance to their real child, Siena.

When I learn that Jeffrey is about to announce his candidacy, I begin to try to track him down to let him know that his candidacy has been leaked by the press. (By the way, Jeffrey will be happy to learn that in the dream, he is 47 years old, just a bit older than my son-in-law – you see how the brain just folds ingredients together and comes up with the strangest cake).

I find him running through the streets and the building, trying to escape – something. I’m not sure that he can hear me calling him. I go to Mindy’s apartment and she is upset and wondering where Jeffrey is. She asks if I will look in on her child while she goes to look for him. At some point, she intimates that “things are wrong,” but that she can’t tell me more. “Sorry for the firewall,” she says.

At some point in my strange pursuit of Jeffrey (and Mindy), I am running around unclothed. That’s often the case in my dreams. Lord, what does that mean? I find Mindy and we pledge to help each other.

I begin to meet Jeffrey’s campaign workers. I offer my help. I ask Jeffrey when he plans to do his first press release – pen in hand, I offer to write it for him. He tells me that he has someone to take care of that. He is constantly pursued by his workers and press and I am frustrated at not being able to be more helpful.

The dream ends. I think I have to stop sleeping with my chargers, phone and computer next to my bed.

 1/3/21

New Year’s Day, 2021

Today is the first day of the rest of my life. And who knows how long that will be? I say that with no knowledge of any reason that I can’t expect to live at least as long as my parents, but whoever knows these days what tomorrow may bring.

The sunrise in Pennsylvania was, as usual, spectacular, giving a person hope for this New Year. It has to be better. Lenny and I were awake to greet the New Year, though I had fallen asleep earlier. I rallied, though, and watched as Times Square was a strange concoction of “Planet Fitness People” and others “lucky” enough to be able to be there on such an auspicious New Year’s Eve - auspicious because this year was one of the worst years in recent human history for most people.

My family was lucky – and I say this with no small amount of trepidation that I might perchance throw down a gauntlet to the fates. Please! No more surprises for a while. We’ve had our share, not the least of which were daily reminders that we could fall in the face of the COVID19 scourge. Wearing masks, washing hands, using hand sanitizer has become a daily routine. Being fearful of venturing into any of what used to be familiar haunts – stores, friends’ homes, offices – has become the rule of life. I visit my dear children, Allie and her husband, Mike, and my new grandchild, Clare Sophie, with the keen knowledge that the mask on my face as I enter the hallway that leads to their safe haven apartment could be riddled with the virus from other folks living there. And, what used to be a weekly visit to my other daughter, Lee, her husband Mike and my beloved granddaughters, Lucy and Molly, is an unusual trek which is preceded by testing and all the precautions that make it anything but casual. It’s been exhausting for us all. But we are the lucky ones.

I think of all the many times in history that have tested human endurance. Lenny and I talked about this last night. This has been my generation’s biggest test. The virus was preceded by the election of a man who will go down in history as one of our country’s biggest mistakes. Elected in what was certainly no landslide of confidence in 2016, he became a daily reminder of the havoc and, yes - even death - inept and corrupt leadership can wreak on society. I am still teetering on the brink of disbelief that he will no longer occupy the office on Pennsylvania Avenue. I have confidence in President-Elect Joe Biden. And yes, I am grateful that he has taken on this enormous task at his age. Being almost 72 myself, I fully appreciate the daily summoning of energy and stamina it will require of him. If I were a praying type, I’d be saying daily prayers for his health and that of his wife, Jill. At the very least, I will certainly be sending him and his administration positive vibes.

So, we forge on. We head into 2021 with smiles and hope. My smiles and hope are for my loved ones and the vast circle of amazing people I have in my life. All the crazies. I love them. They make me happy – my children and grandchildren, my cousins, and my friends whom I won’t list here because I will invariably omit someone and sometime in the future someone’s feelings will be hurt. This pretty large group of human beings create the foundation of my life. Lenny is and has been right next to me now for 22 years. I smile as I write that. Our relationship has endured serious tests. But he has never wavered. He’s not a rock. I’ve seen him cry at TV commercials, but he is my best friend and I love him dearly. (I have to insert here that we acquired a dog in 2018 – Trixie – and, as I write, she lies next to me. She is my constant reminder about how important it is to simply love another living being and want to care for them and keep them well.)

I am not someone who likes or even “approves of” New Year’s resolutions. I think they’re a recipe for failure. But here’s as close as I will come to making one. In this year of 2021, I will do my best to grow – in every way (except girth, please!). I want, and here come daunting words, “accomplish,” “achieve,” and “honor –“whether it be in my love for my family, my work or in whatever I do or however I choose to spend my time – hugging my children and grandchildren, working, cooking, walking, eating, playing – let me be mindful of the importance of each and every moment of life and fill it with the best that I have to offer.