The television is crackling with news about the latest weather catastrophe! All the morning news shows are “round tabling” about the craziness of ALL the candidates!!

I’m bursting with comments, remarks, outrage—and there’s no one here for me to share all this emotion with.

I can easily feel sorry for myself and go into a lonely funk, but I choose not to. Instead I make a lovely breakfast just for me. I make plans to bake cupcakes later for a sick friend, and I think about what kind of writing I’ll do this afternoon (and if you have other creative talents this is a good time to enlist them!) .

Then I go out to the garage, pick up my hiking shoes and tie them on. Out I go into the beautiful sunny, breezy morning holding my second cup of coffee in its paper container.

When I return, feeling exhilarated by a mile plus hike, I turn on the TV again and see CNN is still broadcasting the wild promises of nincompoops running for office.

This time I smile. Then I Iaugh out loud. “OK, I’m ready for battle,” I tell the television set. I’m going to work for the candidate of my choice, and that too will give me a feeling of accomplishment and the joy of being alive.

It doesn’t mean I like being alone. It doesn’t mean I don’t miss my darling mate of 55 years. It just means that in the four years since he died,  I’ve finally learned to carry on.

Sandra Pesmen 2011