Meet the Parents

Last week, I picked my parents up at the airport in Anchorage and welcomed them to their new life in Alaska! Imagine that; selling your home and nearly everything in it and moving nearly three thousand miles away, in your seventies! My parents were always daredevils, never afraid to start over for any reason, and relocated many, many times across four Western states and throughout their marriage. They have been married for 55 years in July.

My parents have always dreamed together since I’ve known them. I don’t remember a time when they weren’t looking at land somewhere, buying a new place, driving by that piece of property they always liked, fixing up a house, or just looking into another location. They have moved more than anyone I know. they have gotten rid of just about everything they owned more times than I can count. But I think it’s different this time around.

Dad is seventy-five, has COPD and diabetes and just finished cancer treatment last June for squamous cell carcinoma, the treatment of which was interrupted by his contracting a severe case of Covid that nearly killed him. But he does okay most days. He has worked physically hard his entire life, and I think he enjoys his daily naps all the more for it. He plays poker and reads, mostly.

Momma is seventy-two, has multiple autoimmune diseases including mixed connective tissue disease and so far undiagnosed cognitive and memory issues. Mom has been medically retired for over fifteen years after working hard, long hours at jobs she never should have been doing with her body and issues. She has her good days and bad. She knits and reads and bothers the dog.

It wouldn’t be off the mark to say this is the biggest move they’ve ever made, even though they moved us as a family up to Alaska in 1978. The difference then was they were young, and they didn’t live on eleven acres with six sheds and two garages and a three bedroom house on the river. They left that behind last week, sold it to a young family who fell in love with the place the same way Mom and Dad did. It was beautiful, just too much for them.

I guess this is the part of life where the people who have taken care of me my whole life now need some care. They are by no means helpless; they just need some help with things, and I wonder if everyone experiences the same amount of panic as I am having at the thought of this. These are my parents, for God’s sake! They are independent, powerful risk-takers and they raised four hellions (many times on almost no money) while building a life together. How could they possibly need me? I’m just a kid… aren’t I?

Regardless of my nervousness about this slight role reversal, I am happy to see them here where Brick and I live and where they can get to know their great-grandchildren. It makes me smile that they chose to come to me, of all people. I think about being able to spend some good, quality time with them. I would never be able to do this with them living in Oregon and me living here in Alaska. I hope we are able to create a good life for them here. I hope they will be happy.

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