Sunday, October 11, 2020

 What do you do with a broken heart? After years of silence from my swim buddy, we reconnected and our swim mornings have been the happiest I have felt during this terrible year. I asked Clark if he would house sit for me while I went on retreat and he agreed. I leave tomorrow. 

I should say. I spent several hours at the ER yesterday with my old friend gut pain. I got worked up (after 7 hours) and was told I have nothing to worry about (?) While I was there, I asked Clark to go to my house and feed the critters until I got home. My little cat decided to pee on the bed...and why? Perhaps she was having another bladder infection. Clark and I talked about the possibility of needing to take her to the vet and strategies to do that. He slept here and I drove him home this morning. Our plan was to swim the morning I was leaving and then I would drive him to my house with his stuff so he could work and live here for 2 weeks. 

Well, citing my recent illness and the cat, he wrote me a text to back out of his agreement to house sit. He was feeling dread and unease all day. The text came tonight and I'm supposed to leave at 10 in the morning. So I scrambled to find another solution. Randy the incomparable dog sitter agreed to take Felix. My tenant and I have a complicated arrangement with her and a few of her friends to take care of the kitty.

I was flabbergasted. I was so shocked I couldn't even react to his text. My response was 'wow'. Just wow. 

As I write this I can see all sides. He doesn't really understand my deep need to be on retreat. His anxiety may be as bad as mine. He couldn't talk to me in person because it was too scary (I've done that).

Still. I feel so sad. I feel like he broke up with me as a friend. Maybe I was too needy and everything is so awful right now that we're all flailing and trying to find some comfort. I just can't feel any anger. I feel disappointed. And hurt. I expect others to behave the way I do. How silly. It's good to learn who we can really count on when things are rough.

How do I forgive him? Do I forgive him? I'll be gone and I can use this as "an object of meditation". 

Well, I wrote it out here so maybe I can start to release it. 

He even suggested that we could meet to swim tomorrow morning and talk about things. Nah, I don't think so. 

As a PS, while I was sitting in the ER, a friend I know from sangha texted me that he was in the neighborhood and we could have tea. I told him where I was and he asked which ER (big city) so I told him. About an hour later, he texted that he was in the ER waiting room. He waited for hours with me and drove me home. I didn't ask him to. He just showed up. Thats what we can do for each other. We can show up. 


3 comments:

Ms. Moon said...

The dread and unease he felt sound like anxiety to me. It may have just been all too much. Still- to leave you in the lurch like that. Ay! Well, I hope it all works out and you may well be on your way by now. Or will that be later today? Whenever, may it be the experience you need and want. And thank goodness for friends who show up.

Elizabeth said...

I don't think you need to worry already about forgiving him. He sounds young and immature and perhaps stupid. I'm so sorry. I know that your retreat will be balm AND stirring. Be well and come back and tell us all about it.

Adie said...

It's fear. At least he didn't lie (coming up with some crazy excuse) nor did he force himself to ignore his dread. That's a compliment to you ; he felt he could be honest.

And for the rest it sucks big time!!!

Don't worry about forgiveness now. Tend to your own hurt. No big conclusion or decisions. It hurts!

Have a resourcing retreat. Love