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Resolution goes just a bit awry

A year ago, I listed friends and relatives I wanted to visit in 2009. I added a few more early in the year. The list soon mushroomed to 22 individuals, families or couples. Some of them I vowed to go see on my own; others were people my wife, Cheryl, and I wanted to see. Some of them I usually see at least once a year anyway. Others we see less frequently.

The idea came after I read stories a year ago about how pulling closer to friends and family is one way to deal with the stresses of a down economy.

One of the highlights was a tailgate party at a Brewers game with one of my best friends from high school and his wife. As we sat in the parking lot at Miller Park, we couldn’t believe it had been four years—at our last high school class reunion—since we’d gathered.

Another highlight was a day-long trip I made early in spring to see my Aunt Jerry in Marshall, my Uncle Homer in McFarland and my high school journalism teacher in rural Cottage Grove. I wanted to visit Homer not because we were close but because I wanted to see him at least once before he died. He was suffering from dementia, and I knew his time was short. I knew he wouldn’t know who I was. We struggled to carry on a conversation. Later, two hours flew past as my former teacher and I caught up on life. The contrast in conversations was so stark that I came home and wrote about it and my motivation for seeing Homer, who died June 12. The story took second place in the Wisconsin Regional Writers’ Association’s Jade Ring contest this fall. Maybe someday I’ll share it with Gazette readers.

So overall, how did I do on my quest? I’m sorry to say that I didn’t see seven of the 22 on the list. Two couples were not for lack of trying, however. Two others were vacation acquaintances who live hours away. Two more were high school buddies I’ve drifted too far away from. The final one was a former boss.

I’ll renew the pledge this year and hope to do better.

Greg Peck