The Parting: Looking Back and College Days

Nancy remained in contact with Tim.  They chatted via Facebook and email but never by phone.  Tim continued to pine for Nancy but he never let his true feelings be revealed.  He felt it would cross a line to communicate by phone.  Still, they learned more about each other’s families. Occasionally, Nancy remembered days of her youth when she dated Tim and emotions flooded in. 

Then she would remember her husband.  He had been dead about 7 years now.  Her mind returned to the days when her boys were young and the two of them struggled to make ends meet.  Her husband was named Martin but only she called him Marty.  Marty would come home from work and, if the boys weren’t already waiting for him at the door, he would announce, “Daddy’s home!”  Then Jack and John would come running to the door and hang on him until he got down on the floor and wrestled with them.  Of course, he always snuck in a kiss to Nancy but he was quickly pulled away for some good old fashioned rough housing. 

Marty believed in God and the family attended church regularly but he wasn’t one to verbally proclaim his faith.  He didn’t show off.  He felt it better to live his faith in a way that people saw it.  In the home, he did little things to teach the boys about God.  When they sat down to eat, he had each of the family members take turns saying grace.  She remembered John had to be coached as a 2 year old to say “God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food.  Amen.”  Nevertheless, he wanted to be part of the family and partake in this ritual.  He always was trying to keep up with Jack.

Marty regularly told the kids bed time stories.  Sometimes they were bible stories, sometimes he read kid’s books.  Often, Marty made up stories.  He would ask the boys what kind of story they wanted and he created it as he told the tale.  He also made it a point to tell the kids about family.  He told stories about grandparents, himself, Nancy, and even the boys when they were little.  The boys seemed to especially like chronicles about when Marty and Nancy were young.  Each time he would share such tales, they giggled as if they didn’t believe their parents were once small.  

A melancholy mood hovered over Nancy.  Life has so many twists and turns.  While bad things had happened in her life and she had endured extreme heartache, she believed that God was good and gave, and continued to give, many blessings.  Still, for that moment she felt… she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.  It wasn’t quite a sad feeling.  Nostalgic?  That probably better described it.  She didn’t want to go back but she wished some things could be in the present again. 

Charlotte endured the life of a part time student and full time employee.  At first, the novelty of the whole thing was like an adrenaline rush.  She had energy to attend classes, study, and work.  Then, a lack of sleep began to catch up with her and things got difficult.  She was extremely grateful for the flexibility of the chiropractor to work around her class schedule but still found it hard to work and study.  Slowing, she got into a rhythm and everything seemed to flow easier. 

She enjoyed her classes and her professors.  Her composition teacher, Dr. Lowe, was a taskmaster and that is how she described herself on the first day.  She said she would demand a lot from her students.  When an adjective was needed to describe how pretty a piece of music might be she didn’t want to write it was pretty music.  It was a melodious, sonorous, or an enthralling piece of rapture.  She required writings that would sweat, cry, and bleed. 

Though she was demanding, she was fair.  She made it a point to assist her students and was available at many hours of the day and regularly checked her email.  Charlotte developed a bond with Dr. Lowe.  Though exacting, she acknowledged that not all people have command of the English language let alone the ability to communicate their thoughts well.  Therefore, she pushed them to improve.  Dr. Lowe believed that the ability to communicate effectively could change the world.  If everyone could express their feelings in a clear, concise manner, many of the world’s problems would disappear. 

Charlotte poured herself into her writing and Dr. Lowe recognized special seeds in the first paper she turned in.  Each paper caused Charlotte much agony.  She stressed over every word and she wondered if each sentence expressed precisely what she wanted.  Dr. Lowe would not tolerate wasted words.  Still, in a few short weeks, Charlotte noticed the muse awakening within her and her confidence grew.