IF YOU WERE AN OPTIMIST, YOU WOULDN'T NEED ME TO UPLIFT YOU

I posed the simple question to my husband while we were out for a summertime walk in our neighborhood. Looking at him, I asked, “Does it bother you that I’m not an optimist?” Without skipping a beat, he lovingly responded, “If you were an optimist, you wouldn’t need me to uplift you.” He’s the epitome of optimism, and I love it.

Actually, I believe that I’m just a realist. I do have a positive outlook, but I caution it with realism. The political climate this year was enough to, well, “trump” anyone. The Coronavirus pandemic came along and blindsided the entire world. Yet, I looked at it as a time to catch up on all the things I’ve wanted to organize around the house, including photographs galore, overflowing bookshelves, and wads of family tree files.

All the above, plus a new grandchild to wait two months to safely hold while reacquainting ourselves with our one-year-old granddaughter after months of keeping our distance, kept me balanced.

Unlike many couples, for the first forty-four and a half years of our marriage, I couldn’t wait for us to both be home together all day. Being a realist, I didn’t expect that to happen given how much my husband enjoys his legal work, teaching, and hosting his weekly radio show The World of Work on WDVRFM.ORG Fridays at 4:00 p.m.

Suddenly, without retiring, it happened. Working from home suits us perfectly. I sit writing at the desktop downstairs, reporting for the Jewish Link newspaper, creating these blog posts, keeping up with email correspondence, and working on ideas to get my book published.

With our three children living in their own places, my husband works on his laptop, which he bought and set-up in our son’s room. We eat breakfast, lunch, and supper together, and he’s right there whenever I have a question. We even occasionally do lunch with friends virtually or socially distanced in a park; whatever works and keeps us safe.

Life can be rough. I’m glad my husband can keep me from tipping my glass. With a shout-out to our cousins Kim, Ron, and Lauren, for loving the baby’s one-month photo so much that they sent us masks with his picture on them to brighten anyone’s day.

At two months of age - 9-22-2020 Dizzy, Grandma and Zeidy