Kathy practicing hiking with her Camino backpack and Camino clothing up above Dad’s neighborhood.

You may not have noticed this 😉 , kind reader, but I mentally process while I write. Kathy and I come from two long lines of undemonstrative families, and we both developed habits of writing emotional letters of love and gratitude to our dear ones. Since Kathy and I have been on the spiritual path together these past five years, we have become ever closer. Being separated seven weeks feels rather scary and brings out the philosophical, maundering side of me. Be forewarned.

I started writing Kathy a normal love/appreciation letter, but it turned into an uncharacteristic metaphor all about gardens and gardening. Certainly, we often speak of planting proverbial seeds and figuring out how to nurture them. (Kathy actually was certified as a master gardener many years ago.)

Both of us are in our Second Saturn Returns, for the astrologically oriented readers. (I am 60, Kathy will turn 58 later this month.) That means we are in what others may refer to as a mid-life crisis. Neither of us feels like we’re in the crisis mode, but we are both in major transition times. Right now we are preparing to zing off in whole new directions, whatever they turn out to be.

We are each preparing the ground and planting seeds for our new gardens. We will tend them in tandem. I am studying while caring for my sleeping father in his Colorado home. She is thinking deeply while hiking the Camino de Santiago in Spain. I am developing my intuitive side and exploring my subconscious–retrieving and healing my inner child, growing into my inner queen/CEO, and figuring out how best I can help save the world (my childhood intention and lifelong hope). I don’t know what Kathy will come home with, but I am excited to discover what develops.

Kathy and I will be physically apart, but electronically connected. We will each be insulated but not isolated, a nice balance for individuation.

I called Kathy my best friend, and that’s true; but I have another best friend and life partner, my husband David. Without Kathy across town to lean on so much, I’ll need to lean on David more again—which is a darn good thing, actually. We are both happy to synchronize more than our watches and swimming!