Leaving Rhode Island: A Letter from Mom

Dear Connie, Carl, Karen, and…Oh God, what’s the other one’s name…Uh…

--Sweetheart

This is Mom

Most people tell you that

At the end of the letter

But I might as well tell you now

As you’ve probably heard

I don’t plan on returning

From Hawaii

I’ve met a man named Rick

And we are in love

Well…maybe love is too strong a word

I enjoy him

He’s young

And funny

And he has terrible eyesight

So he thinks I’m twenty-four

That was a joke

You probably can’t tell

Without hearing the inflection

In my voice

Rick is a surfer

And he’s been teaching me to surf

I’ve been doing pretty well

If you consider ‘not dying’

Doing well

I knew you wouldn’t approve of my new relationship

Which is why I didn’t tell you when Rick proposed to me

And I accepted

I’m having Karen tell you

Because she’s always been the most level-headed one

And also, the most medicated out of the four of you

By the time you read this letter

I’ll already be married

I’m sorry none of you could attend the wedding

But I was worried one or more of you

Might object

I understand why you might think I’ve lost my mind

Anytime somebody over the age of forty starts over

Their kids think they’re insane

Because young people think they’re the only ones

Who are entitled to recklessness

I know you’d like me to come back to Rhode Island

But I’m afraid that’s not going to happen

I had my Rhode Island life

It was lovely

It was long

And I feel lucky to have had it

But now I have a new life

And I like it

I like it very much

When your father died

I thought that was it for me

It was going to be nothing but trips to the supermarket

And bingo

And old movies on tv

Then I was exiled

And suddenly I had to come alive again

I had to figure things out

And solve problems

And be a participant in the world

Was I happy about it?

Of course not

But I had no choice

I had to wake up

And now I’m awake

And I’m grabbing life

And Rick’s grabbing me

And things are wonderful

You should never be the last person at the party

Not even when you’re the one throwing it

I love you all very much

Connie, and Carl, and Karen, and…

…You

I hope you can be happy for me

Because I’m so happy for me

Love, Mom

P.S.  Rick says you can wait a few weeks before you start calling him Dad