So up until 1100 miles ago, 35 days, the plan was that when the 16 months, nearly 13,000 mile, mission to travel through most of the Devided States was completed, Kansas was number 45, absolutely to head down to warm weather to rest, recuperate, replan, refigure... the wonderful decision was made, not so much, we're going to go to Central Michigan and help that friend, or at least try to, to raise those two wonderful special needs children.
That arrival was almost three or four days ago, and then 20 miles from the destination an absolute tsunami of wind arrived, so we spent a day in a Walmart parking lot, huddled behind a truck, and then resumed and arrived several days ago.
For the preceding several days ames had been collaborating on and studying a set of covid-19 guidelines that we here developed so that he could be part of keeping everyone safe. Well, his ineptitude, including some lapses for about 45 seconds literally upon arrival, and inadequacies of the guidelines, we've spent considerable time in the last couple of days tightening things up. Here if you'd like to have a look.
It is very cold, but that doesn't matter. For the necessary guidelines he is quarantining in the garage for a couple of weeks. Lots of sleeping bags and warm clothes, and much more importantly, a mission worth James life, the only thing he's ever needed. The only thing that anyone needs, tho James is no longer so certain of that. It might be that neurotypicals can exist just fine without it, despite what James has always believed. All evidence seems to be to the contrary. But to him a mission worth his life is way way way way way more important than Creature Comforts.
This incredibly able and committed and heroic parent and I were in communication at least an hour a day via a Messenger application much of the last year but pretty intensely over the last month and pretty intensely last winter. If you glance at our covid-19 Behavior guidelines document you'll understand that we don't even have visual contact until the two-week quarantine is over. Our choice. So hard, so hard to see. So absolutely necessary and appropriate.
So James is in the garage and that might even be the right place for him longer-term. He needs space like crazy, and the household is quite small, they need space. But there is the option of the basement and we'll just have to see how things go.
James finds it an extreme privilege to be entering into partnership with the parent here whether it lasts a week, a month, or far longer who knows. Almost no one knows how to be a partner, almost no one, not one in a million, but this individual does seem to, and as near as James knows himself it's the only thing he knows how to be even if he does it to the world alone. And he certainly doesn't want to be anything other than that, there's no joy in it.
For James the critical mission is to help this parent move back from the brink of total exhaustion, to a life with the personal time and space to grow, to become even more of a service to the children, and to even have room for a little bit more joy. He has little illusion that he can help with that, but damn, he can't think of anything more joyful than to try. We'll see.
And if all this shows some promise, we're going to need a lot more help. To achieve a basic decent living and perspective future. And on the front burner for these first weeks where James is in physical isolation, will be James trying to help with some more planning, but that won't be able to take full flower until and unless he actually can free up the time of some of this parent for the work that only that individual can do. But it will be remaining a front-burner project and once it is sufficiently articulated and solid we'll share it. And give others the opportunity to join in ways big and small with the Fulfillment of this mission.
James
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