Thirty-something years ago I read an [evidently] memorable book called Goodbye To All That, by Robert Graves. He was one of the few British WWI poets to survive the trenches of the Great War. He returned home traumatized, thinking a normal life was impossible. But in time, through writing and routine domestic activities (he was an early house-husband) he eventually found that he could say goodbye to the pain, reinvent himself, and move on.
I have been thinking a lot about that book in recent weeks, and have decided to take a full year off and figure out the path of my future life. I did the math a few weeks ago: I have spent three of the last nine years on the road. When I had Pat to come home to, it was well worth it. Now it is not the life I want to live. Shortly before Pat passed away we bought a small place in Manhattan. I will be moving in almost full time when the kids go back to school in September. In the very short term, I have bought a small fishing boat to keep out on the North Fork. I will do a lot of fishing and thinking this summer.
Vicem has been tremendously supportive of me over the last nine years, and especially over the last six weeks. They are upset by my leaving, but they understand. I have asked my good friend Paul Crean to take over my Vicem affairs. His email address is P.Crean@Vicemusa.com. His cell is 516-991-8578. I trust Paul, so you can to.
There are half a dozen things I am considering (none in the boat world), but as a wise and good friend said, I will most probably end up doing number seven, not yet on my radar screen. At the top of my list is to finish my long-delayed novel about Haiti. I think I can do that in a year. No matter what I decide, Haiti will always be a big part of my life.
So you are now reading the final entry in my Vicem blog. Perhaps another blog will take its place. Only time and healing will tell. But meanwhile, thank you for everything. I leave you with a fishing picture:
Enjoy.
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