We grew up believing life was an endless road trip. Consequently we continue to spend an inordinate amount of time in our adult lives riding the rail, flying the sky, and pounding the pavement to remain connected.
Just last week over a span of 24 hours, my youngest sister, Karen, drove to my son’s college game in Minnesota, one evening, and dropped our daughter, Nathalie, off at the Minneapolis airport at 6 am the next morning. Then she drove 7 hours to Sterling to support my mom and middle sister, Sue, as my dad recovered from delicate hip reconstruction surgery in Sterling Rock Falls Hospital. Meanwhile my older brother, Doug, and sister in law, Julianne, picked up Nat at the airport in Cleveland and chauffeured her to her residency interview at Rainbow Baby and Children’s Hospital.
In the meantime, Rush Memorial called her for an interview, so my brother-in-law, Cliff in the Chicago suburbs, helped change her ticket and arranged her pick her up 0’Hare Airport. He will drive her to her appointment at Rush; she’ll take the train from there back to the airport to fly to Utah for another interview.
On December 17th, Gerald and I were supposed to fly from Geneva via Amsterdam to Minneapolis. Our son will pick us up in the car he borrows regularly from my brother-in-law Dick. Then after Nathalie arrives from Utah, we will drive back down to Sterling, via our cabin at Summit Lake, to celebrate my dad’s successful surgery.
“And that my dear,” Aunt Mary used to say, “is love in action.”
One wonders what do people do without family?
Every winter, the McKinzie clan will log miles in the air and on land, braving blizzards, airline strikes and flight delays because Christmas happens whenever, wherever and however we can get together.
Be sure to rejoice in the gift of family especially this holiday season. Safe travels to you wherever you gather. May your wheels keep spinning for another year.
Oh Pat that must be so difficult. Of course I know what you mean with coming to terms with the fact that we all will die. It sucks to have to think about that several decades before most do.
But you are right–in the meantime we must focus on what we can do and be happy for the now. Do you have to stay in darkness for ever? I never heard of such a crazy auto-immune disease as too much Vitamin D. I wish we lived closer I would meet you for coffee in a dark coffee house. Stay strong. Keep blogging.
Thanks Judy. I won't be in darkness forever, only for the next 2-5 years, there is light at the end of the tunnel. At any rate, I intent to keep blogging. One of the greatest perks has been connecting with you! And who knows maybe one day we will meet for that coffee. In the meantime, you be sure to keep writing and hang onto that faith hook. Pat