Writer #14

MY-FAMILY-GETS-IT NMW

One recent NMW, heart-warmer to me, was last Saturday when I was leaving my parents' home. First problem: lost/possibly stolen or misplaced US passport. I have an Irish one with me as well, but as I'd entered the US on the US passport and had no visa stamped in the second passport, getting out of the country might be a problem. I was searching everywhere and getting out of the house late. My mother carried my food bag with my packed lunch and my scale on her shoulder, the lightest bag: she wanted to help as she couldn't carry anything else with her bad hip/ arthritis. We packed the car, and I drove off: all of us more sad than usual: the good-byes are more poignant as they age and as we've all lost my brother... they don't like saying good-bye to their children. I drove off, made it to the airport, car return... feeling sad leaving "home" of my childhood, extended family, etc. At car return place, I see several messages from my mom. Phone had been on silent. She is panicking into the phone: X, X, please answer, please pick up (she thinks it's like an answering machine... that I was screening calls or something). She had my lunch bag and scale and was frantic for me that I wouldn't get my lunch or scale. I realized I was okay, I had a back-up scale on me and I had a hostage meal for next day's lunch accessible... I called her and calmed her down, she was so touchingly worried for my abstinence, she was really panicking for me... I told her it was my fault, my responsibility to have that bag on me, not hers... just to please try to help me not make that mistake again another time. She really gets it, she sees what effort and commitment abstinence takes and really supports it as much as someone who is not GS can. I ate a #3 meal, but was just grateful to make it through the security, etc... (I had some trouble about the passport, but they gave me a waiver...).