the bagel shop.”
“That’s cool,” I said, wondering what had changed. Mickey hated bread. For years Mickey had refused to even go into a bagel shop with me. She said the smell of bread dough made her nauseated. She set foot in a Subway sandwich shop only once before vowing never again to go into another one. I loved the warm smell of Subway. I should have known then that we’d never last.
“Yeah,” Falina said.
“Did you say hi?” I asked, not wanting Falina to feel bad for bringing it up.
“Yes, I did, but Mom…” Falina said, looking at Mom with a smile on her face again, “Mom ignored her.”
“You didn’t!” I laughed. “Why?”
“I just don’t have anything to say to her, that’s all,” Mom said.
“Humph.” Dad’s laugh came out of his nose in a small huff because his mouth was full of orange.
“What?” Mom asked, trying to look indignant.
Dad finished chewing and then laughed properly. “Last time this came up, you had plenty you were going to say to her!” He was looking at Mom with his brow furrowed and black eyebrows raised.
“Yes, but that was with you as the only witness,” Mom retorted and then pried the lid off her coffee and blew on it. She took a sip, swallowed with a grimace and said, “No need to go getting myself arrested right before our RV adventure.” She blew on her coffee again and asked, “How can this still be so damn hot?”
“What?” Dad asked with a sad smile, “Your anger or your coffee?”
“Touché,” Mom laughed.
What was it about being with your family that made you feel young? My parents hadn’t aged at all. If I closed my eyes, I could have been a teenager with them bantering on about one thing or another. I was lucky, I guess. Here I was, middle-aged, feeling young and protected by my family. The subject of Mickey was dropped. I was relieved no one brought up the idea that I search for a new partner although they were keen on seeing me happy with someone. Countless times I’d tried to convince them I was happy alone. But was I? Maybe. Alaina and Falina were both happily single. Why should I have to pair off with someone? Alone, I was at least spared the potential of being hurt or left. But with a partner, I’d be able to talk about how it felt to say goodbye to the home in which I grew up and marvel over my sweet family.
We finished taking our break. The remains of our collective childhoods were safely delivered to Goodwill, and we saw our parents off as they embarked on the next chapter of their lives.
Book of Shadows
Spells for Home Goodbye and Relocation Protection
Nearing the Full Moon, cast the circle in childhood bedroom. Scatter salt and water.
“Blessed be Creatures of Light.”
Light white candle on paper plate; allow dripping wax to create a secure base for candle.
Greet and honor the four directions and the universal elements.
Letter is written in myrrh-scented dove’s blood ink and anointed with honey.
“I’m writing to Mother Earth, God, and Goddess in gratitude for the memories I will carry with me from my childhood home. Thank you for the security of family, home and time. I will not forget the abundant gifts that presented themselves to me in this house.
I hope the same amount of happiness is experienced here by the next inhabitants.”
This letter gets burned by candle’s flame, released.
(Never again burn letter over paper plate—almost was the forever kind of goodbye.
And it’s hard to sell a pile of ashes that used to be a home.)
Create protection in relocation letter using dragon’s blood ink.
“God, Goddess, Mother Earth, please be with my Mom and Dad as they set out on their next adventure in life. Guide, guard and humor them as they continue their life’s story.”
This letter gets folded into tight triangle, emblazoned with sigil for protection
and hidden alongside small chunk of comfrey root in Mom and Dad’s new RV.
Thank the four directions and the universal
“That’s cool,” I said, wondering what had changed. Mickey hated bread. For years Mickey had refused to even go into a bagel shop with me. She said the smell of bread dough made her nauseated. She set foot in a Subway sandwich shop only once before vowing never again to go into another one. I loved the warm smell of Subway. I should have known then that we’d never last.
“Yeah,” Falina said.
“Did you say hi?” I asked, not wanting Falina to feel bad for bringing it up.
“Yes, I did, but Mom…” Falina said, looking at Mom with a smile on her face again, “Mom ignored her.”
“You didn’t!” I laughed. “Why?”
“I just don’t have anything to say to her, that’s all,” Mom said.
“Humph.” Dad’s laugh came out of his nose in a small huff because his mouth was full of orange.
“What?” Mom asked, trying to look indignant.
Dad finished chewing and then laughed properly. “Last time this came up, you had plenty you were going to say to her!” He was looking at Mom with his brow furrowed and black eyebrows raised.
“Yes, but that was with you as the only witness,” Mom retorted and then pried the lid off her coffee and blew on it. She took a sip, swallowed with a grimace and said, “No need to go getting myself arrested right before our RV adventure.” She blew on her coffee again and asked, “How can this still be so damn hot?”
“What?” Dad asked with a sad smile, “Your anger or your coffee?”
“Touché,” Mom laughed.
What was it about being with your family that made you feel young? My parents hadn’t aged at all. If I closed my eyes, I could have been a teenager with them bantering on about one thing or another. I was lucky, I guess. Here I was, middle-aged, feeling young and protected by my family. The subject of Mickey was dropped. I was relieved no one brought up the idea that I search for a new partner although they were keen on seeing me happy with someone. Countless times I’d tried to convince them I was happy alone. But was I? Maybe. Alaina and Falina were both happily single. Why should I have to pair off with someone? Alone, I was at least spared the potential of being hurt or left. But with a partner, I’d be able to talk about how it felt to say goodbye to the home in which I grew up and marvel over my sweet family.
We finished taking our break. The remains of our collective childhoods were safely delivered to Goodwill, and we saw our parents off as they embarked on the next chapter of their lives.
Book of Shadows
Spells for Home Goodbye and Relocation Protection
Nearing the Full Moon, cast the circle in childhood bedroom. Scatter salt and water.
“Blessed be Creatures of Light.”
Light white candle on paper plate; allow dripping wax to create a secure base for candle.
Greet and honor the four directions and the universal elements.
Letter is written in myrrh-scented dove’s blood ink and anointed with honey.
“I’m writing to Mother Earth, God, and Goddess in gratitude for the memories I will carry with me from my childhood home. Thank you for the security of family, home and time. I will not forget the abundant gifts that presented themselves to me in this house.
I hope the same amount of happiness is experienced here by the next inhabitants.”
This letter gets burned by candle’s flame, released.
(Never again burn letter over paper plate—almost was the forever kind of goodbye.
And it’s hard to sell a pile of ashes that used to be a home.)
Create protection in relocation letter using dragon’s blood ink.
“God, Goddess, Mother Earth, please be with my Mom and Dad as they set out on their next adventure in life. Guide, guard and humor them as they continue their life’s story.”
This letter gets folded into tight triangle, emblazoned with sigil for protection
and hidden alongside small chunk of comfrey root in Mom and Dad’s new RV.
Thank the four directions and the universal
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