We’ll figure it out

One of my favorite things about raising a fellow DVD boxed set enthusiast is that we get to watch the same shows over and over again, as many times as we like, without being made fun of or teased. Okay, well maybe we miss that a bit.

Not to brag but we can quote lines verbatim at the most suitable situations, be it when we are alone or in public. What’s more we get to share a great laugh afterwards.

Perhaps one of our favorite leading males has to be Steve Austin whom we fondly refer to as Steve. “Do you want to watch a Steve?” is a familiar question in our home. And right here I have to be clear that the Steve Austin we are referring to is the $6 Million Dollar Man, not the wrestler!

Perhaps the best thing about Steve (besides his fabulous leisure suits from the 1970’s) is his low key style of problem-solving.

“We’ll figure it out”, he’ll often reply calmly, but definitively.

That’s a line Bea and I both love to pieces. We often quote it to each other in times of trouble, like when the basement had water in it this fall or when the hot water tank sprung a leak at the old house this summer. Maybe it’s a change in schedule, and I cannot be there for her when I need to be, or we are trying to determine what wrong turn we just made that has taken us into the middle of nowhere.

“We’ll figure it out”, we say, although perhaps not so calmly.

And so my mind now drifts toward April 21st and also to the Easter season to figure out how we are going to deal with the memories of that terrible day on which Pat died. I anticipate a possible regression; I am detecting some backward motion right now, since March Break, to be honest. The self- isolation, although it’s been mostly good, has also caused angst without our fearless leader (insert three thousand heart emojis).

Pat’s philosophy was always to “go in with low expectations, because they can only move upward”. Although he was often referring to family get- together’s, his thinking might also apply to this situation.

But I also feel quite strongly that I am forgetting something here. Something pretty important. And it came to me after reading my minister’s message this morning about preparing for the Easter season. This so isn’t all about me although I can certainly make it that way. Everyone close to Bea and I will have acute memories of that day.

Other people are also suffering loss and missing family right now.

The Easter message itself and the story that unfolds after Jesus died on the cross is full of pain and suffering and fear, felt by Jesus’ followers. It must have been excruciating for them, and of course that is why Jesus is so real to me and others, because of this human side of His story that may not always be revealed in us until it happens to us.

These days, and our thoughts of loss and isolation, need to be given to God. He has already seen Beatrice and I through some really challenging times. Why on earth wouldn’t He be here for this one? He has already given us strong leadership, at many levels, including at my school and at my church, so He is definitely among us, and He will always be among us.

I think God and Patrick, and those who loved and knew Pat, want us to do what is right for us, as we turn our thoughts and minds to the day we lost him. We know they will be thinking of us as we will be thinking of them.

Maybe we will take a drive to Murray Corner; maybe we will be lost in our own quiet thoughts of him; maybe we will reach out to family and friends through messaging and video chats.

Maybe we will “watch a Steve“.

I know we have given it to God.

I hope you are able to as well.

Until next time,

Melissa xoxo