Friday, July 3, 2009

Why and When I Wrote Potluck, Postscripts & Potpourri

Perhaps it would help to know why and when I wrote Potluck, Postscripts & Potpourri. The why has to do with my ninety two year old father who was living independently until he fell, broke his hip, suffered a massive stroke, and spent the final months of his life in a nursing home. I was devastated. This was not what I had planned, nor what I had promised. At the proper time, Daddy was supposed to come live with our family, and we would lovingly care for him the rest of his life. But sometimes best laid plans fail, and loving promises are broken.

When I could not find the necessary home care for Daddy, I sat down in frustration and wrote a business plan for a company that could. I pondered all of this in my heart, and then eventually decided to retire from a twenty year career in school social work to pursue my dream. I dusted off my business plan and founded ElderCare Services. I was, after all, a helping professional who knew first-hand what it was like to seek and not find home care resources. Today, I am comforted by the fact that with a full staff of care givers, I can now provide the kind of home care for others that I was not able to find for my own father. I am gratified that, as a Geriatric Care Manager, I can offer counsel and direction to families struggling with the complicated issues of aging. I am blessed that my eldest son Dee joined the staff early on, committed himself to ElderCare Services, and will someday take over the management from me.

Back in 1986, grieving my father’s death, I realized that as family matriarch I was also the keeper of family stories. I reminisced, recalled, and wrote down some of these stories. Daddy would have been proud, hearing the stories of his family he so loved. I discovered that writing was therapy and that it gave me peace.

As a Christmas gift that year, I presented each of my children a copy of this “first edition,” inspired by Daddy and dedicated to them. My first book effort circulated among extended family and friends, and many made suggestions on what absolutely must be enhanced, changed or added, and, yes, subtracted. I got a lot of, “Did you remember to tell about the time ...” or “Where is that story about ...?” or “Gee, I never heard that before!” One time, my brother Rivers approached me at a church gathering and demanded to know, “Did you remember to tell what a great story teller Mother was?”

I soon discovered it was much easier to start the book than it was to stop the book!

Of course, I could not posibly have fit into my book all the wonderful stories that have been and still are part of my life. We have so many stories in us. Life is a rich fabric of stories. So with this weblog, I will add some stories that you will not find in my book. Nevertheless, I hope you will read Potluck, Postscripts & Potpourri!

Enjoy!

Regards,

Jean Gay Mussleman