Caitlin and Carolyn in shades of green
No one ever wants to get a call from a brother saying, “I’m on the way to the emergency room. Dad had a fall.” It happened just last month. In that moment, two thousand miles away, standing in my office in Sonoma, I started thinking about how to get on the next flight to Fargo, North Dakota. It’s such a helpless feeling! During the next several hours I was in constant touch. After the x-rays, CT scans, and an additional ride to another hospital for more opinions and possible surgery, it was determined that Dad was banged up pretty bad but would sleep in his own bed that night. Phew!
As soon as I got up the next morning, I called to check in. Mom answered.
“How’s he doing?” I asked.
“Honey,” she said in a weary tone, “it’s not easy being green.” She didn’t say it’s not easy being old or it’s not easy living on a lake in the country or its not easy going through the terror of seeing your husband standing in the kitchen bathed in blood. She said simply, “It’s not easy being green.” Slowly and twice for emphasis.
I love that Kermit the Frog hit song by that name. I can still see Kermit’s glorious green head moving on the TV screen as he sang it. I couldn’t believe how Mom’s well-chosen words could convey so very much as she quoted Kermit, the puppet.
Dad is so much better now. They are back to their active social life. Once again it’s hard to reach them because they are so busy doing this and doing that. I will be going to see them in January when Dad turns 88.
I think that whole experience is still living in my bones. And Mom’s words are still ringing in my ears. Green.
I had a whole other experience with green when I went to the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter meeting of the Association of Image Consultants a couple of weeks ago. Two beauties were wearing very different shades of green as their outer layers. Caitlin wore a forest green coat with fur trim. Carolyn wore a sweater jacket in olive green with fur trim. They wore it with such ease!
It’s not hard for me to think of Kermit the Frog wearing those shades of green! Wouldn’t he look regal in that fur trim? Miss Piggy would have a lot to say about it . She’d be swooning. And with friends and family surrounding him, maybe it would make being green just a little easier.
I love you, Kermie!
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