Tag Archives: Travel

The Eldest

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In order to know yourself, you need to understand where and even who you came from, and in my life, that’s a lot. These larger than life icons informed most everything that defines me, from their striking curiosity about life to their endless devotion to family. Through my mother’s eyes I learned nothing but admiration for her two older sisters. The eldest possessing a brilliant mind that saw no limits, making the cliche of a life-long learner her mantra. The middle sister organized like no other, from the Director of Early Education for the New York City Board of Education to most every niece or nephews’ birthday party: doing both jobs with equal furor. My mother, the youngest, brought the big laugh and warm embrace, turning acquaintances into best friends with ease. But the sisters were entwined in such a way that they shared their strengths, their capabilities, and even their truths. If I didn’t know that when I was a child observing them as distinctive entities, I learned it when first my mother passed, and then another sister, until the oldest was the last one to call me Moira love. She made sure to love me with every bit of her sisters’ traits, and watch over me until her final days. At nearly 98 when she passed on March 1st, her care for my heart and soul was more of a gift than I could ever repay, keeping all her sisters alive within me: all their separation dissolved.

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Vacation

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It’s August, a perfect time to give myself a real vacation from thinking too hard about sticky stuff. Of course special thanks to Kansas voters who voiced the opinion of most Americans, and who have started my mind-cation off in the right direction. Added thank you to all who are still working to keep our Democracy out of the hands of those bent on destroying every last truth. You people deserve golden metals and shiny honors.

Today, as I watched the sun rise from high in the sky, I was reminded once again, that each day brings possibilities and choices for all of us. Mine is to take a needed long mental break and relax into the stretch of sunshine and family and joy ahead.

On to Normal

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Well, not normal fully, yet. But pretty darn close if you ask me. You see, for a decade or longer, every February, I have hopped a flight west to hang with my kiddos for a week. Except in 2021. Yet, here we are again, rolling on to normal like that blip was a bad dream because I’m back with the one who gets us laughing. I’m so glad he does. Always.

He’s a sunset guy too. Whole days can be built about catching the dip. You know the moment when the sun sinks below the horizon? We always make a plan to witness that spectacular and brilliant instant. Afterwards we keep our eye on the sky as the orange and blue shifts to a pink and purple. Oh on to normal looks so very good.

Not too many mother’s rush their youngsters out and on to their own lives, but I did. Not that I didn’t ache with missing them, or shed those hard tears each time I watched them pack up and start out on their next adventure, but still I couldn’t hold them back. My mother never did. Instead she came to join in whatever we were doing, and with that in mind I do my best to arrive ready to do whatever they are doing. Happily.

Of course, seeing them means I get in the Pacific

and I’m once again mesmerized by palm against the blue with graffiti below

and seriously, cactus are such a fascination that I find myself yearning for more and more

while all the flowers in such bright hues crack my winter blues, to simply intoxicate.

How can I resist staring out into the space where the blue meets more blue? Yeah, I can’t.

Life is one twist and turn after another but getting together with family steadies me for what may lie ahead. 2020 taught us all that family is more precious than gold. I watch as my adult children navigate each sharp curve and straight away on their own roadway, thankful that our journeys continue to meet at the crosswords. Just long enough to remember all the standout sights. And longer still to soften the hurts too.

There is not much I would invite back from COVID, nope not much. But finally flying clear across this crazy, enormous country to laugh with my loves with less fear and more cheer helps the pandemic to fade further from view. I am so proud of our extraordinary scientists and medical community for making the impossible possible. At day’s end, I’m grateful for all their efforts to get back onto normal. To see that big sky of hope.