meaning of "long in coming", "take it in stride", "go on with a small measure of mourning", "just go through the motions", "wrap things up"

[kjc0123]

What is the "long in coming", "take it in stride", "go on with a small measure of mourning", "just go through the motions", "wrap things up" in the following sentences?

 

When he was alone, Ray sat in the wicker chair across from the empty sofa, and tried to convince himself that life without his father would not be greatly different than life apart from him. This day was long in coming, and he would simply take it in stride and go on with a small measure of mourning. Just go through the motions, he told himself, wrap things up in Mississippi and race back to Virginia. 

[Fibonacci]

long in coming - soemthing that has taken a long time to come around

take it in stride - To cope with calmly, without interrupting one's normal routine

go on with a small measure of mourning - continue with living but with a little sadness

just go through the motions - To do something in a mechanical manner indicative of a lack of interest or involvement

wrap things up -bring to a finish or an end (often quickly)

the following website may aslo be helpful as you can eneter a word or pharse and it will often give you its meaning:- http://www.thefreedictionary.com/

[Peter Pedant]

But of course using a dictionary would not give the context - and anyway that means kjc wouldnt ask us questions !

Hi kay-jay - These sentences have all the tones and issues of mourning - in a western sense. Days are very long when one mourns and time goes slowly. So in order to cope, he will behave as normal,as he expects that he will have to do this for what seems a long time.

Jut go through the motions means here that he will try not to show emotion

wrap things up and race anywhere - forget it, impossible dream. If there is a death involved, it always takes four times as long.....