Weekly Photo Challenge … Forward

… and backward.

I have over the past months talked of methods of alleviating pain, that is usually connected with grief, loneliness or emptiness.  So I would like to use this prompt to explain one of my remedies.
First, looking forward and backwards can be cathartic and feel as if it is doing good.
My partner and I have spent many an hour remembering the wonderful times when our children were nearby.  We have reflected on the sadness that we encountered and how we managed to raise miraculously above it.
Then we indulge urselves and dream about returning to Rio de Janeiro and how wonderfu it will be when all our children will be together agsin in the UK and we can enjoy our dotage as loveing grandparents.  Lovely dreams and memories, helpful but not real
Meanwhile months, weeks, days, hours … moments pass in  blind oblivion So to address this simply we make a trip no more than a mile down the road each Saturday and Sunday morning to the same Italian Restaurant; don’t worry not in the same seat but even that would not for me be a concern.
We sit and do whatever comes up; of course in a restaurant our choice is somewhat restrained. Nonetheless, it is a delight, a bolt hole where we have written letters, shopping lists,  done a crossword or two, read the papers,  even written our xmas cards.  More often we watch, be and be seen; over the years we have made acquaintances no more than the nodding kind and on first name terms with the staff who, more often or not have our order ready and waiting!
For a while, this works for us, with its chrome, glass and reflection we need not go forward or back.