My Third Anniversary as a Widower

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen 

As I said in the second anniversary article, I am (to borrow from the Dr. Who mythos) regenerating. Good  thing I am not the man I was years ago. I have been changing in this past year and, in some ways, become stronger. Would that I could "arrive," but change never stops. Charlene will always be a part of me. We changed, and we influenced the changes in each other during our twenty-some years together. With God's help, my changes will be for the better.

Ashokan Reservoir Promenade East, Unsplash / Cowboy Bob Sorensen

As some of y'all know, I try to take one of these here hikes in her honor. They were one of the last things were were developing an interest in together. Today had unpleasant weather, so I am assigning a walk from September 7 to this observance. (We would shuffle dates, such as a birthday was on a Wednesday, so we would dine out on a weekend.) I had an odd feeling about this one, so I'm not only glad I went, but got some great pictures.

Charlene knew these areas far better than I, and she took me to the Ashokan Reservoir Promenade several years ago. They have East and West, but I haven't been to the West one. When we went, there were plenty of people — and monarch butterflies. Lots of them. I was surprised and wondered if they were on their journey down past Mexico. When I was coming to the end of my trek, I saw one and thought of her. Then I saw one more.

There is much to do in my remaining time, and I'll be thinking of her often like I always do. I have to retire without her and have things to get arranged, but I'll do all right even though I cry on occasion. Now I'll conclude with something we did not share. She saw a nuthatch acting like a scary monster at other birds on our balcony floor. I saw some glimpses when they got the notion, but not to the extent she described: