LONG DAY AGAIN - SAD THOIUGHTS

     Today  is Sonny's Birthday. He is nineteen now. From an adorable, round-faced and reasonably plump child he turned into a lanky young man, with considerable five o'clock shadow. 
     In a sense, all of us are fostering children, even when they are our own. We have to let them go eventually, don't we? We have to say goodbye to whom they used to be (the most lovable memories are those ones, but they are gone forever). We can only hope that the new them will stick around and allow us to partake from something in their lives. 
     From early in the morning I, Roberta and Park went to the Community of Faith Breakfast, a monthly event sponsored by our church. Mr. P. was a speaker today, so quite a few of his clients and friends attended. He spoke on the topic of: "Thriving While Suffering Loss." 
He was pretty good, actually! I enjoyed hearing material that was inspirational, yet had enough intellectual weight to it. Mr. P. brought his son with him for support and came to me before the beginning and asked to also support him with a prayer. I did.
     At our last meeting I told Mr. P. that because of the money situation I will have to see him only every other week. He said that he understands, but might have to give my time slot in San Leandro (a town nearby) to someone who sees him every week. In other words, I would have to go to Alameda, a city much further away. I didn't argue with him: as the Russians say, - "A fish seeks a deeper place and a man - a better one."
     Today after the talk he came over to me and proposed that I would pay him just $12 for a session every other week and - $25, as usual, - on the week when I was supposed to see him anyway. As an equalizing gesture, I would continue to pick him and his bike up in a car to bring from Alameda to San Leandro, as I have been doing. I know that if I'll go to Alameda anyway, I can just have sessions there with him, but I don't mind and even like being a chauffeur for him. He does a lot for people. Besides, I skipped one week's session with him and now feel a tad sadder. It shouldn't be so, but it is.
     MaMa Asale was there too. She registered her organization, Grandmothers Who Help, to be the agents for the Covered California - in other words - Obamacare. I was happy to do it with them, both to help them and, potentially, make a little money for myself. The program proves to be such a dud, though, - even a threat to the people of America, that I lost my motivation to do all the necessary steps in order to work for it. Asale readily admits that Obamacare isn't what everyone hoped it would be, but she wants to get to know everything about it first, before deciding not to be connected with it. She wants me to send for the FBI clearance (they have to say that I am not a criminal) and do the fingerprints. Maybe, because both of those things cost money, I am still not 100% sure that I will do it!