We are going to Florida on Friday. This is our trip that we take every year...one of our favorite family traditions. We spend a week on the beautiful beaches of Florida (I love the white sand). We eat lots of junk, laugh a lot, get together with extended family, play games, make lots of noise, relax, and eat more junk.
I am having a hard time with the trip this year. This will be the first time that we will go to the beach without my sister. Her husband and children will be there, but she won't. We have always laughed a lot because she was so entertaining. She told stories that no one would believe, unless you knew her. She loved to sit on the porch or walk with my dad in the early morning when everyone else was sleeping. Last year she was too tired to walk so she was sitting on the beach and saw some dolphins swim by. She was trying to get my dad's attention so he could see them too and wishing she could see them closer. Then one of the dolphins turned around, swam up close to her, jumped out of the water and then swam away. She got her wish. She was so happy.
My sister and her husband had a tradition of their own. They would get a picture of themselves jumping off the boardwalk. They have one of just the two of them, then the three of them, then the four of them. She had the pictures hung on her wall when I went to Florida for her funeral. Such a simple tradition, but what a beautiful memory for her children.
I think if she were here she would tell me to jump into life and enjoy it. I'm going to try harder. Maybe we will even take a jumping picture this year. So...from my sister to you...don't be afraid to jump into life and enjoy it.
3 comments:
Oh Shanon, I'm sorry to hear about your sister. We all need to try to be a little more like her and jump into life - and enjoy it. I'm glad I found your blog! Now I can keep an "eye" on you from Phoenix.
What a fabulous memory! How lucky you are to have all those special times with your sister. I am so sorry for your loss. I can imagine you upcoming trip will have some good times and some sad times. I hope it will be fun!
When I read what you say about your sister it really makes me want to be a much better sister.
I can only sadly imagine how painful it is to lose your sister and at the same time, I love how you can openly share so many memories of her and by doing so, keep all of the good that it sounds like she did in this world, out there for everyone to learn from and hopefully lean towards.
It is so nice to hear that her family will be joining you guys so that you can spend that time with your extended family and her children. What a special blessing it sounds like it is to have such a close knit tradition of spending a whole week together each year! I love the tradition of the boardwalk too... you are right, so simple but a beautiful memory!
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