For old times' sake

It's been quite a ride, these couple decades with the boys.  Our second oldest will be married by the end of the day tomorrow and moving on.  Technically, the older three were supposed to have moved out by now.  The plan was for the first two to move out together when they transferred from a local community college to Ohio State.  Then our third son would get a transfer (he works in a chain restaurant) and move in with them, so the three could share expenses.  The staggered moving out would also be a little easier on our youngest, who wouldn't have to see all three move out at once.  That was the plan in the autumn of 2019, to be ready to move out by spring of 2020.  And we all know what happened next.

We don't begrudge it.  As I've said, save for the Covid upheaval and ban on events of  2020, that was the nicest year we had in many a year.  From 2015 we were hit with a tsunami of events and near disasters, often multiple in a month or so.  In 2019 there were only a handful of weeks where I wasn't in a medical facility several times with someone in the family. 

In 2020, again save for the Covid crazy, things slowed down.  We righted ourselves, my wife was given a major promotion, and things got back on track.  Though we had played boardgames as a family, they were usually only part of our activities.  In 2020 we became boardgame gurus.  And that wasn't all.  Fortunately we have a well stocked library, DVD library, audio and video game library enough to keep everyone busy while we were forbidden to go out.

That fall ended up being one of the nicest we ever enjoyed, again if you don't count the lack of travel opportunities.  Halloween didn't have rain - one of the first times for our youngest.  Thanksgiving saw everyone together for the whole day for the first time in years. And it was one of the nicest Christmas seasons ever.  With lockdowns and at-home learning and working, we all managed to have the entire week following Christmas through New Years off.  Aesthetically it was the proverbial white Christmas, one of the loveliest in my memory. 

But as all things must pass, so did 2020.  2021 saw a return to several events of varying levels of seriousness.  The worst was Covid over Christmas 2021.  Also my wife's heart attack, my mom had a serious health crisis, and other such things like one son being hit by a car and general trials and travails of life.  

The one good, bright spot to come from that year was my son meeting his bride to be.  That delightful young girl with a Cheshire Cat grin I've written about.  In the overall scheme of things, you can't ask for much better for your sons.  Not to be too theologically unsound, but if I must endure some misfortune to balance the good fortune that came with her coming into our lives, that's a price I suppose I can handle.  

Nonetheless, by 2022 it was clear that the reprieve we had been given in 2020 was quickly passing its sell by date.  Our oldest was delayed in college, largely because he was forced to abandon his life plans when his allergy hit just as he was set to begin schooling.  The other sons were not so hindered, but all three clearly were coming to that point of getting restless as 2022 came and went.  

We allowed them to stay at home to avoid going into debt in college, though not entirely free of charge.  It worked, and both graduates will have done so without owing a brass farthing in debt.  But no matter the logic of the arrangement, it's been clear for some time that the Gray Havens are approaching, in which they feel the call to move on to their own lives and new families and futures.

Before our second oldest moves on, however, the four decided to have a final 'Bro Night' as they called them.  And in a fitting farewell moment, they took the old Dark Tower boardgame I found some years ago, and went to our son's soon to be new apartment to play.   

Once things settle down, it will be a new era for the family, and one I'm sure will bring its own opportunities and joys.  But it will be different, and I can't help admit I will feel a bit melancholy.  After all, the boys developed the reputation of being 'The Boys'.  As someone once said, as soon as one walks through the door, you know the others will follow.  "Here come the Griffeys" was a common response to their appearance on the scene.  Not that they didn't have their moments.  Four stubborn young men with strong opinions?  But when the dust settled, they emerged as their own best friends in most of their lives together.  May it remain so, but with a new member of the family to celebrate.  

One more charge at the Tower