There is a story in here somewhere.
We went to a retirement dinner which was actually breakfast foods. Our protagonist is retiring from a lifetime of teaching elementary school. What makes this interesting in the dime novel sort of way is that our heroine is a late in life lesbian. She and another woman met, became enraptured with each other, and divorced their respective husbands. What followed was tumultuous relation over a period of years. The romantic portion of the relationship did end, but the relationship continues at some level.
What grabbed my attention at the dinner was that we were sitting next to her current girlfriend. Her original girlfriend, now her ex was walking around taking pictures. Both the divorced husbands from above were there. At one point the two gentlemen were visiting with each other.
I can only imagine what would happen if I showed up at my ex’s retirement dinner.
You cannot make this stuff up.
I, being the protagonist, wondered if people would notice the dynamics of the entire situation. You did forget to mention your role of offering guests a parachuting monkey. Whether anyone admits it or not, there was a very important reason to build relationships with former partners in life. The significance of healing cannot be overstated. You then open up a space of caring, honoring, and acknowledging the contribution those people made to your life. There’s a sincere caring that continues and an understanding and an acceptance of the past without making anybody wrong, It is so freeing to see past significant relationships evovle above all the drama. You gain a more objective view that releases past resentments, concerns, and judgements.It is truly getting complete with the past. It was joyful to have all these people in one room, Celebrating with your past and your present makes for a huge space for the future, free of baggage!