LatinosUSA

When it is becomes impossible to go back to normal, we have to create a new normal and adjust to it.
Sabine Shah

He awoke that April morning with a sore throat and a splitting headache. The pollen season was in full swing, and he suffered from an allergy strain that no antihistamines could cure. He moved to a house that faced dense woods forty years before and, since then, every Spring Mother Nature reminded him of who was in charge.

Forty years. He and his late wife were just married then, and this was the first home they owned together. They were in their thirties, vigorous and full of plans. He was looking forward to a successful professional career; she sought an exciting social life, a beautifully decorated home, cultural events, and political activism. Together, they planned for children, travel to exotic lands, and prosperity. Their coffers were empty, but their hearts overflowed with fresh ideas.

Over those four decades, they carried out some of their projects without fail or disappointment. They travelled across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Western Europe, the Far East. London, Paris, Florence, Venice, Lake Como, San Francisco, and Santa Fe became favorite destinations.

She took Italian cooking lessons in Milano and flower arranging courses in New York. He perfected his photographic skills and amassed a portfolio of pictures and slides of the spots they visited. His professional practice blossomed with hardly a mishap, and he became a well-regarded specialist in his field. Her devotion to worthy causes won her accolades in the organizations she belonged to.

Their home was filled with valuable pieces of porcelain, glass, and silverware. Together, they bought beautiful works of art and European furniture, planted roses, tulips, and daffodils, and undertook remodeling efforts that made their home more comfortable and inviting.

Some projects worked at first, but then had to be given up. He used to go running early every morning until his knees gave way and had to be replaced. She grew vegetables in the backyard that kept falling victim to the ravages of birds and insects, who punched holes in the tomatoes, mutilated the squash, and left only the stems of devoured strawberries that never ripened. They built a beach house, but had to sell it after a few years because the commute to and from the shore was exhausting due to the maddening traffic, and the beaches were too crowded to be enjoyable.

There were other plans that they could never implement. She developed an ovarian tumor that required a hysterectomy, preventing her from conceiving children. He hoped to lead the return of investors to his country of birth, counting on improved political conditions that would make this possible. Once it was clear that there would be no change in the status quo, he had to abandon his project.

Even when they could not carry out their activities as intended, they sometimes could take compensatory measures. He took long walks instead of running. Instead of growing vegetables, she planted peonies, lilies, hydrangeas, and irises. They adopted a baby girl from Colombia who grew to be a beautiful and talented artist. When going to the shore became impractical, they took weekend trips to the country, learning to appreciate the charms of the rural sights and the simple pleasures of walking in small towns, attending village fairs, and hunting for antiques.

As they grew older, the compromises that they had to make to meet the needs of day-to-day living became more pronounced. Arthritis took hold of all of his joints, and walking was fraught with pain and uncertainty. He became so concerned about the risk of falling that even taking the dog out for a walk was an adventure. She, who had always prided herself on being active, was debilitated by age and now spent increasing periods of time watching soap operas on TV. For both, their quality of life was marred by low energy, decreased interest in worldly events, and recognition of their physical limitations.

It became painfully clear to them that life only moves in one direction – forward – and that any attempts to reverse course would at best leave them behind, struggling unsuccessfully to get back to where they once were. They redefined success as achieving ninety percent of the level of activity attained the previous week.

Finally, things had to give way. She developed cancer and, after a short and painful fight, passed away. He attempted to resume a normal life, but the wind was taken out of his sails. He sank into a morose state, reliving in his mind the four happy decades now gone by, waiting for his final hour to come.

It was then that a small miracle occurred. Inspired by conversations with members of his extended family, he decided to undertake a chronicle of the migration of his ancestors from a distant point in Europe: the challenges they had to face to settle in a strange land, and the satisfaction of prevailing in a difficult and sometimes hostile environment. What started as a mindless chore undertaken to while away idle time became a monumental saga that would encompass not only his direct ancestors, but others of the same background who had to fight poverty, ignorance, and prejudice to carve a place for themselves and their children in society.

Thus, his retirement project grew into a vast undertaking that consumed the last decade of his existence. Time went by, hardly noticed, and being able to conclude his research and writing was perhaps the main objective in his staying alive. He finished his study and, with the help of friendly editors and publishers, brought his work out into the light of day. Alas, he suffered a heart attack weeks after publication, and died before knowing whether the treatise had become a bestseller.

This couple’s story exemplifies an important lesson about the human spirit. Finding new ways to live with one’s increasing limitations is the recipe for prolonging life and making it more worthwhile.

Previously published in “short-story.me”