I’m in low gear today and haven’t come up with a blog topic that suits me. Railing about the three voicemails I got from credit relief companies isn’t in line with being on vacation. Neither is complaining about the weather back home, which we’ll meet up close and personal in 48 hours. (It’s predicted to be around 37 degrees.)
So I’m reposting the very first blog I wrote, called “Gauging Voices,” on May 20, 2024.
Voices are like barometers. They indicate if everything is normal, if pressure is mounting, or if decline has settled in.
I just called my son in New York City and Chris answered the telephone: “Hello, Fred Flare” came the usual greeting at their place of business. But within that standard greeting was an undercurrent of frustration, exhaustion, something that told me the barometric pressure was about to burst.
It was a small question that prompted my mid-day call. Was there an error in the upcoming flight reservations for Keith and Chris to visit me? Being nit-picky, I thought there might be when I received the email with their flight numbers and times. So I called to check, and that’s how I knew the business weather in NYC wasn’t sunny and warm. I talked with both Keith and Chris, although the entire conversation took less than a minute. Both of their answers were terse and short. It didn’t seem like the time to inquire what the problem was, although I know I will wonder about it until we talk again.
That’s how it is when you are the mother. You are always taking a temperature, checking a pulse, looking for signs of stress in your offspring — even when those offspring are in their thirties, as mine are. And because my sons live far away, I listen closely on the telephone for signs. It’s the only measure I have to go by. I know Keith will call on the weekend and bring me up to date. But I hope in the meantime, the storm passes and when we talk his voice is filled with warmth and sunshine.”
Leave a Reply