Fortune Fodder

My Dad and I went out to Chinese today. It was a nice lunch and we had lots to chat about. And then the fortune cookies came....

Mine said "You will get help from an unexpected source." Yeah, whatever. Who writes these things? And better yet, do people believe in them?

His said "This year you will make family a priority." Nothing against all of us who are his family, but I think he's done with us. I know he's done with us. And I say that with a smile on my face. He about groaned when he read his fortune out loud to me. The look on his face was priceless.

He cares about us, he wants to spend time with us. But in a giving sense we are not his priority. We are not his responsibility. I think he breathed a sigh of relief when Kate got married and Kevin moved out. He has worked this year to forge new bonds with those of us who are there for him. And that doesn't include having to support any of us emotionally, physically or monetarily.

I think for almost 35 years family was his priority. Now in all honesty, his priority is numero uno. He wants to relax. He wants to putter. He wants me to come out once a week and hang with him. He wants to see my brother on Sundays for a barbecue. He doesn't want to get any more pets after the two he has head off to the pearly gates. He doesn't want any more family drama. He'd be happy living out his days with either an ice tea or cold beer in his hand and hanging out on his porch or riding his bike. He doesn't want to work, which is an insult to many people in my family. (They take it personally I guess that he busted his ass for over 30 years and wore his body down and then retired. I think they feel he needs to work himself even further into the grave.) He just wants to be.

And being doesn't include us as his priority. Selfish? Maybe for the first time in his life he is being that way. After doing the duty of providing for a family of 7, and at some times 9 or 10, he feels he's earned the right to just be and make himself a priority. And I can't argue with his logic.

Maybe his next fortune will talk of unexpected monetary gains. Now that would bring a smile to his face. And mine.