Homecoming...The Simple Things

"We have promised each other to celebrate life on the anniversary of his passing, rather than mourning his loss. That will be our forever gift to him. "

The summer months are always a time of reflection for me. We tend to get so caught up in our work that we forget how important it is to have a healthy work/life balance. That means taking a break once in a while and spending quality time with the people in our lives and remembering that family should always come first.

This has been a challenging year for my family with the loss of our father on New Year's Eve. The holidays will never be quite the same, but we have promised each other to celebrate life on the anniversary of his passing, rather than mourning his loss. That will be our forever gift to him.

Father's day was very difficult as it reminded me of the last time we got him to venture up north to the cabin with us before his illness would render him almost immobile. It took the combined effort of both my sister and I, but we managed to get him out to his favorite restaurant one last time. The man loved to eat;-)

It is a strange feeling when both parents are gone. It feels bit like being orphaned in the world. In these moments I am reminded of how important it is to keep our families close to our hearts. One never knows when their last day will come, so it seems a shame to waste time fretting over the little things that mean absolutely nothing when drawing your last breath. Perhaps we should all live like we were dying.

I got to spend some precious time this past weekend with my beautiful niece Olivia and my brother Doug to celebrate his birthday. It was like a homecoming, and very sweet for me as I felt distant from him prior to my dad's passing. I'm sure dad is pleased to see his children building bridges instead of the pyrotechnics we had been experiencing during the stressful moments of profound loss.

One of our favorite things to do at this time of the year is take the boat up to Eagle Island in search of the these amazingly beautiful symbols of our freedom. They return to the Island every year to raise a new generation of eaglets for all of us to enjoy, with mom and dad keeping a watchful eye from the sky. 

Every boater is acutely aware to respect this sacred area the Eagles call home, leaving a wide berth between their boats and the Island. Watching them soar through the sky is a sight to behold...It is the ultimate freedom...May we never take it for granted.

Most days are spent here on the beach, nestled into the warm sand...cool water at my feet, with a good book and a fully packed cooler at my side.

God forbid I should have to drag myself out of that beach chair! It seems to be getting more and more difficult every year;-)

The only thing that does entice me out of that chair, (besides Mother Nature;-) is a nice cool swim that instantly revives the body and the soul...especially if I have somebody fun to frolic around with!

I remember having to drag the kids out of the water at the end of the day kicking and screaming they didn't want to leave...Purple lips and all...Lol!

At the end of a long, hard day of boating and sunbathing, we gather at the sacred 'smores circle' for some fireside chats and a whole lot of toasting and roasting...Marshmallows that is;-) These roaring blazes keep the mosquitoes away too...my one and only summertime annoyance.

Otherwise, it is cool evenings sipping on a cool beverage having conversation with some pretty cool people just enjoying each other's company. These are the moments we will remember at the end of our lives. Living life simply for simplicity's sake. We have our parents to thank for that.

They did not have an easy life together, but they always had an appreciation for the simple things...the things many of us take for granted.

So thank you mom and dad... for teaching us how to enjoy the simple things in life, even when life gets hard. Coming home has never felt so good...

About the Author:

Cyndi is a licensed and Certified Massage and Bodywork Professional, Writer and Energetic Channel in the Greater Boston, Massachusetts Area

Please visit my website @ https://lnkd.in/deZBRU3

Wishing everyone a very happy Independence Day weekend...Never take our freedom for granted;-)