I hadn't considered that this is a phase of life. About 15 years ...
Sorry, I got distracted. I guess this is kind of a freewrite, too. I was at a class with my MIL the other day, and at one point, they said, "we no longer do home visits for XYZ, because of covid" and I looked around this room full of unmasked 60+ year olds and thought, "well, it's not because of covid that you don't do that anymore, I guess. Or you shouldn't be doing this this way. This meeting that could absolutely have just been a zoom call."
About 15 years ago, we came to L.A. And got our first pet together. And 15 years is a long life for many pets. So now I'm seeing and thinking about the other people who we've known here and met around when we arrived who had also arrived around then and, yes, they're losing their pets, too.
We're, of course, of the age where we lose parents. And we're of the marriage anniversary where we have school kids. And we're of the time in a new city where we lose pets.
And it seems we're of the time in our lives where we're trying to feel settled but still aren't feeling settled because we don't live in a society that ever really lets you feel financially secure. That part sucks, too.
There are good parts. I find myself to be in the time of life where I recognize that I can respond appropriately and give myself time when I need it. I've been in this state for a while, but I'm finally far enough from my early twenties that I can see how I felt like I had to respond to EVERYTHING and fight the power at every turn. Now, I recognize that if I don't have the energy in the moment, someone else will. I am at a time when I can listen better, I think.
That's all. I want to get back to my learning.