OMG! Your post is heartbreakingly beautiful and powerful! As I’ve written here before, I’m so sorry you’re suffering through this terrible debilitating illness! I hope you realize, though, that you ARE connecting directly and personally with people—like me--in spite of your debility, here, on these digital pages. I know it’s not a replacement for the things you’re achingly missing, some of which you identify in this post. But it is a way of acting on, influencing, and making an impactful mark on the world outside your apartment. And I, for one, value and appreciate it.
Julia, thank you for your essays. 38. What was I doing at 38? 2001. I was working for a big company. Was a single mom of a 9 year old. I bought my first little house in Minneapolis, the first person in my family to own a home. I had friends. I traveled. I was busy busy, and enjoying life.
College and grad school were both great times in my life. I went to the college in one of the most beautiful locations in the world, Santa Barbara. It’s so beautiful, I took my 82 year old friend to visit there last week! She lives a fuller life than I do. But we both use the wheelchair service at the airport.
Long covid has reduced my life to a semblance of a life. But, it is more than my bff with stage 4b lung cancer. This maybe her last year of life. I will soon inherit her dogs. 4 dogs will be a full house.
I have never read Proust.
Millions of people become disabled in a moment. What we choose to do with our time as a person with disabilities is something new. We can write. (Not me) We can help other people. We can travel, in a different way. We can care for dogs. We can learn a language. We can do x,y and z.
Thank you for your beautiful writing
OMG! Your post is heartbreakingly beautiful and powerful! As I’ve written here before, I’m so sorry you’re suffering through this terrible debilitating illness! I hope you realize, though, that you ARE connecting directly and personally with people—like me--in spite of your debility, here, on these digital pages. I know it’s not a replacement for the things you’re achingly missing, some of which you identify in this post. But it is a way of acting on, influencing, and making an impactful mark on the world outside your apartment. And I, for one, value and appreciate it.
Thank you so much for saying this
Julia, thank you for your essays. 38. What was I doing at 38? 2001. I was working for a big company. Was a single mom of a 9 year old. I bought my first little house in Minneapolis, the first person in my family to own a home. I had friends. I traveled. I was busy busy, and enjoying life.
College and grad school were both great times in my life. I went to the college in one of the most beautiful locations in the world, Santa Barbara. It’s so beautiful, I took my 82 year old friend to visit there last week! She lives a fuller life than I do. But we both use the wheelchair service at the airport.
Long covid has reduced my life to a semblance of a life. But, it is more than my bff with stage 4b lung cancer. This maybe her last year of life. I will soon inherit her dogs. 4 dogs will be a full house.
I have never read Proust.
Millions of people become disabled in a moment. What we choose to do with our time as a person with disabilities is something new. We can write. (Not me) We can help other people. We can travel, in a different way. We can care for dogs. We can learn a language. We can do x,y and z.
Please keep writing, Julia. I appreciate you.
Hello from another Kenyon '08 grad. Wish I knew you then. I'm not in touch with any of my college friends anymore either.
Hello!!
I graduated from Kenyon in 1990. Left part of my heart there, I’m sure of it. Middle Path beckons.
Great piece. Onward. Moment by moment.
You would be one of only two people that I have encountered that got through all of those books, and that is an accomplishment.
You're a great writer. I'm not familiar with Proust, but you make me feel like I am.