I spent 10 years arriving and trying to escape Iowa. The state, much like a black hole, has a powerful gravity that rebuffs all of your attempts to break free. I have good memories of the place. I met my wife in Iowa. I learned how to be a part of a football team in Iowa. Still, the place is humid beyond reason and presents fewer opportunities for personal and economic growth than any other state I’ve lived in.
Today was the wake, which meant I had to confront my fear of seeing the body. Seeing is indeed believing, and now I am force to admit that my father-in-law is really gone. I don’t know what that means to the family dynamic yet. We’ll figure our way over the next year as we deal with the holidays and vacations.
I may cruise Ames at some point tomorrow and see how the town has evolved in the (9?) years I’ve been gone. Quite a bit I imagine. 9 years gone, which means 12 years since meeting my father-in-law. It is funny how time works.
Some Thoughts:
1. You might have noticed the lack of a post 1160. I’m a bit disjointed out here, but I feel like I have a post sitting on my ipad waiting to be uploaded. I wrote one on the plane yesterday and never had a chance to post it.