Worrywart

Have you ever heard that expression? Usually in the form

"Don't be such a Worrywart."
Merriam-Webster defines wor·ry·wart as:
A person who is inclined to worry unduly.

From time to time, we all feel anxious. Wanting something to happen, or not to happen. Daddy used to call it borrowing trouble. No ones' life is perfect, no such thing. In 40 years we've had lots of worries. The first few years, it was how were we going to pay for...tuition, new baby or just the rent. Sprinkled along the way were cars that quit working, many job transfers and raising kids. Lots of worry there. But I must say illness was the one thing that makes you feel helpless. Everything else you can deal with. Everything else gets solved somehow. But illness is that uncharted land where the "What Ifs" lurk around dark corners and wait with bad news.

We had health issues with both of our daughters and at a very young age it was overwhelming. The stress it added to our marriage could have torn us apart. I can't say why that didn't happen. Maybe because we leaned on each other or perhaps because we both came from parents who worked out problems instead of giving up. We focused on the problem and what we had to do to get through it. Teamwork at it's best.

Every morning at our house begins with turning the coffeepot on, followed immediately with going outside to get the paper. Hubby loves his football, basketball and baseball. He devours the Sports Page daily. Coffee in hand we share the newspaper, the rest is all mine to digest leisurely while he reads the ball scores like he's studying for a test! I read the paper to him as I find interesting articles. He nods and hmmm's, acknowledging that he's heard me. Not much conversation really, but enough. We've figured out after 40 years what works for us. I think it's gonna last...