Bit more sadness

I was stunned at myself a few weeks ago when I went to my daughter's place on the occasion of the 60th birthday of her lovely mother-in-law. I really like all her in-laws and perhaps it was seeing so many of them there that I realised how very isolated I have been for so long and I was quite sad to the point that I cried a few tears on the drive home.

It wasn't so much that I felt lonely, because I don't; rather it was sadness that I had missed out on family stuff. I remembered how I used to feel envious of other women obviously out shopping with their mothers. Yet I have my own family, my children and their partners and their children and I never feel alone, I see them all so often and enjoy their company very much.

So why did I react so oddly? I have a lot of contact with various family members in other states and we all get on very well, but I never had that ability to drop in and have a cup of coffee with my mother or take part in large family events - at least not for the past 36 years. Yet I am so very glad I moved so far away and made my own life, far away from the constrictions of the big city.

Now I'm okay again.