All that heaven will allow

“I got a dollar in my pocket, there ain’t a cloud up above…”

One of the major adjustments we had to make when we decided to uproot and relocate a thousand or so miles from friends and family was the separation. No longer could we make a spontaneous decision to get together for dinner, drinks or just to spend time together. It seems that everything now requires planning, usually pretty far in advance, and even though Sue and I are retired and have no real commitments, Sue puts in great work as a volunteer at the Palmetto Animal League shelter and frequently goes to get her pet — mostly cat — fix since we lost Abbey, the dog.

When it comes to our friends and family visiting, life frequently gets in the mix once planning starts, so it was with great joy that I got a text from my son a couple of weeks back saying he wanted to take a quick, spontaneous trip down to spend a few days.

One of the things we have enjoyed most with regard to visits and trips, both our own and those of friends and family coming down, is the ease and proximity of the Savannah airport. While many flights require connections, coming from the New York metro area, where all of our aforementioned folks are based, allows for multiple options for direct, nonstop flights. So off I went and happily picked up my son, with plans to have some great dinners and relaxed conversation in the short window he was going to be here. Joelle in Bluffton and Charlie’s on the island were the choices, as he had not been to either, and both turned out to be fabulous, as has been our experience.

Part of our conversation, and I suspect part of the reason he wanted to come, was to get a feel for how we were doing, healthwise, and how we were feeling in a very tumultuous time. He seemed very happy and satisfied when he got a sense of how we are both working hard to stay active and mobile. He got an up-close look at how much effort goes into the VR workouts we both use, and I know that helped ease his mind a bit. He was also very happy to have arrived as the weather was warming, having just been through the blizzard of ’26 back in New Jersey, and really enjoyed having an outdoor lunch at Tin and Tallow prior to his return to the airport and flight home.

Driving back from the airport after dropping him off, Sue and I talked a lot about his health “inquiries,” and I laughed and reminded her how, even at 73-plus, I still see “16” when I look in the mental mirror I carry around. It just reminded me how fortunate we are and how, even though I struggle with the idea of my position on the cradle-to-grave timeline, I still see a long, comfortable road ahead. I hope he got that same feeling, and as luck would have it, a Bruce Springsteen song happened to come on during the ride home, capturing everything I feel about where I am and what I’m looking forward to.

“Now some may wanna die young man
Young and gloriously
Get it straight now, mister
Hey buddy, that ain’t me

Kevin Fitzpatrick is a retired teacher who, along with his wife Sue (also a retired teacher) is enjoying exploring life in the lowcountry and all it has to offer.