Member-only story
A few days ago, I posted something that may have been misleading. This article is an attempt to clarify any misunderstanding. Here’s how it all began…
On September 20 I wrote a post on Facebook about my parents. Dad is 94, and Mom is 93. They were living together in an assisted living facility until Mom’s recent trip to the hospital. This post was written on the day she was discharged.
“Tonight after dinner I took Dad across the street to see Mom in the Skilled Nursing Facility. As usual, when he sat by the bed, he held her hand. His bride of 73 years said, ‘Oh, my, your hands are cold! I’ll hold them and warm them up for you.’”
Many people were touched by this post, and it received several comments. As the number of “Likes” and comments grew, I began to feel a little uneasy. I imagined people thinking — incorrectly! — that Mom and Dad had some sort of idyllic life together. I could just see people wishing that they had such a happy marriage. And, I could also picture some people looking sadly at their computers or phones, and thinking, “I wish my marriage was like that. All perfect and mushy.”