Four years ago today I moved into an apartment at Franke at Seaside, Mt. Pleasant, SC. It was my first "PCS" (permanent change of station to those who never served in the military) in 44 years. My wife, Mary, preceded me to Franke by about seven months and lived in Assisted Living. The days went by faster than any other period I can recall. (It seems strange but the older we get the faster the days roll by.) Slowly but progressively I met my neighbors and made new friends from all parts of the country and all walks of life. The joy this brought was marred by the deterioration in Mary's health and her death in December 2010. Many in the Active Lifestyle Community have had similar down moments, but life goes on. For Mary and I the permanent physical separation came after 56 years of being together. During those years - in good times and bad - we shared a Kiplingesque expression and attitude that serves me well today:
soldier on!
New friends (especially one very, very special friend) are a precious joy in my life. When I was a young boy, just entering my teens, living in Lowell, MA, I attended St. Patrick's Church. We had a change in pastor's in the mid forties. When the new priest gave his first sermon he dwelt on the theme and uttered the phrase, "my lot has been cast in friendly places." Since moving to Franke at Seaside, I often recalled that sermon and fully appreciate the heartfelt sentiment it expressed. And I am happy at this time in my life to say, "my lot has been cast in friendly places."
