Solitude: the quality or state of being alone or remote.

I am a feral codger, in my seventh decade on this marvelous spinning planet called earth.  As I have aged, I realized that along with diminishing sight, hearing, physical abilities, and medical issues these are not what is the most demanding of the adaptations I have and will continue to have as I grow riper. 

Of the many joys in life, memories and stories, new adventures and sharing them is a great joy. As I age, I find myself alone and in solitude a lot of the time.  I am very lucky to have my wife to share my life, adventures, memories and stories with. However, friends and family are more distant. There is nothing unusual about this. My family is scattered across the country, with their own lives and memories and stories to be lived and made.  I live far away from them.  I have seen them very rarely, and they have visited us about the same amount.  There is distance and a reasonable lack of interest in me from my great nephews and great nieces.  They are young and fully and rightfully involved in their lives. I have never been a big part of their lives, and may not be of much interest to them, just this old guy who lives far away.  I have never met my nephews' wives, and my great niece and great nephew.  I dislike traveling far distances by plane or train, and the cost for young families to travel is daunting.  They certainly may have other destinations and adventures in mind, and rightfully so.None of these wonderful people made an agreement to be fully involved in my life or to be available to listen to my memories or stories or to have adventures with me while I live. 

My friends, as time has passed, have moved to various parts of the country, or dropped out of contact, or have died. Some have medical issues that limit their choices, some just like to have a distant relationship. My local friends are dealing with their own aging issues and lives. 

 None of these wonderful people made an agreement to be fully involved in my life or to be available to listen to my memories or stories or to have adventures with me while I live. 

So, this leaves me with adjusting to and accepting solitude.  Being my own companion on my adventures and remembering my stories and memories for my own enjoyment.  As I noted earlier, I am lucky to have my life's companion at my side to share in my adventures, memories and stories.   

I wish for my family and friends, wonderful and fulfilling lives. Full of memories and stories and adventures. I hope that some of those memories and stories have a small part in them for an old feral codger who lives on the Left Coast. They all have parts in mine. 

Jon Pinter