melrose

Dear Bard, I feel strangely drawn to respond to your post, although I know next to nothing about you, other than I have read a few of your comments on the forum, and thought you must be very intelligent.

I'm a Pisces (thus, feeling your pain), and 55 years old. I've been around the wheel a round or two more than you, and have learned surprisingly less than I should have, but one thing I have learned (kicking and screaming all the way) is that just when we have absolutely no idea what to do next, it's okay to just stop, do nothing, and be in the moment as calmly as possible.

Something WILL reveal itself, and, when you are in a happier place, you may just look back and think ``Huh! It was the journey that taught me the most.''

My lesson has been to let go of thinking I must be in control of everything, every moment. I'm still learning, BTW. Not as clever as I fancied myself to be, I'm afraid.

OMG, you poor baby. I thought I had weird in-laws - okay, I do. I deal with them by telling myself over and over in my mind, ``I pity you and your insecurity.'' This usually keeps me from attempting to choke the living crap out of them.

Also, wine is very, very good.

The first time my DH kissed me, when we were dating, lo, these many decades ago, I saw a golden ribbon come down from the sky, unfold, enfold the 2 of us, then fall softly to the ground. Then there came a shower of twinkling lights. I thought I must be losing it, but closing and re-opening my eyes didn't stop it.

It's never happened again, but I took it as a serious sign that this guy must be the one for me!