Together and Apart

Together and Apart
            My older son moved to London for his job two years ago. It felt like he was disappearing forever. Fortunately, the magic of video calls makes me feel like he’s right next door chatting. The helpful illusion of video calls doesn’t work for our autistic son for some reason. Despite his big brother talking to him face to face on screen, Sean has to be prompted several times to even acknowledge him.
            With a year-long gap between holiday visits, Sean doesn’t fully believe his big brother is here in person when he first arrives home.
            Once he fully accepts that his brother his physically present, though, Sean doesn’t want him out of his sight.
            “Alec, couch! Alec!” he yells repeatedly when his brother is out of the room.
            “He’ll be right back,” we reassure Sean. “He’ll sit with you for dinner.”
            Holidays over, with our older son flying back to London for work, we can’t tell Sean that he’ll be sitting with him for dinner. Sean can feel it in the air when his big brother is getting ready to leave. 
            “Mommy! Dad! Alec!” he has been yelling the last couple of days. He wants all three family members to be together with him as we have been for the last several weeks. My heart feels a little stab every time he calls his brother’s name.
            He will go back to holding hands with one of us parents instead of his brother when we hike. He’ll ask someone else to sit with him.
            We will shift back to our routines and adjust. And we will yet again be grateful for the magic of video chats.
            May we all find a way to hug the ones we love, even virtually, and keep putting one foot forward!
            This week’s Hike Notes, Easy Grade Trail-Pantoll to Mountain Theater, leads readers on the ascending leg of a loop hike from Pantoll Campground to the Mountain Theater (Cushing Memorial Amphitheater), a moderate climb through woods with some open view spots along the way.
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New this week:
Hike Notes 195: Easy Grade Trail-Pantoll to Mountain Theater