Ellen Rubinstein

Proximity Ellen Rubinstein

How does it feel to lie in a hospital bed, aware but unable to express oneself? This gripping situation is addressed in the captivating fiction of a patient left comatose by a car accident. She senses generations of family visitors wafting through her consciousness, interspersed with focused images of past experiences. These gradually blend until various stimuli become clear. The deep, complex bonds of familial relationships, centered on trusting children, are interwoven with the theme of long-term parental hospitalization. Tied to this struggle for physical recovery is an earlier road to emotional healing, following the tragedy of infant loss. We also view the patient through an empathetic young nurse who observes the patient's relationships with visitors. Considering her own close connections as well as events and decisions that led to her current circumstance, the nurse recognizes that her sense of familial ties has been forever altered by these children and their parents. The reader is inspired by the patient's determination to communicate and by her intense desire to return home. Evoking sympathy throughout, Proximity evolves as a celebration of innocent hope, maternal love, and the ideal of family.