Recently, I've been helping my parents get some of their affairs in order. It's not an easy job, and comes with an awkward role reversal of the child guiding the parent.
Last night, while I was cooking dinner, the radio playing. As I chopped and thought about a meeting my parents and I had attended earlier in the day, the voice of the great Elvis Costello floated around the kitchen. He was singing "Everyday I Write the Book."
Instantly, I was transported back to the 80s, and the cheesy music video of the song I'd seen so many times on MTV - a Prince Charles look-a-like pathetically trying to woo a disinterested Princess Diana. Wow, that video didn't age well, did it?
But what struck me was how my parents' relationship epitomized that song: it's been a never-ending book being written each and every day.
Just 3 1/2 months away from their 63rd anniversary - sixty third people - they're still writing their book, which made think of Kelly and me - 6 months from our 24th. And just as the real events in Charles and Diana's life together didn't mimic Costello's vision, I doubt my parents' book is exactly what they thought it would be. Nor is ours.
But if my parents' life together really was a book, I'd reckon more than a few of the chapters would look awfully similar to the ones being written in Kelly's and my book right now.
I'd like to think that by nudging them into making these tough decisions, by coaxing them into some difficult discussions, I'm showing my parents how much I love them. I hope they realize I just want to help them write their book.
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