Pecan Plantation, Texas -- It's 12:36 a.m. in the Lone Star State, and I'm packing my bags again headed for the "Beehive State"--Utah, where I will be gathering with five of my six children to celebrate Mother's Day. I can't help but look back at how much our lives have changed--or should I say progressed. My children are all grown now, and pursuing their own dreams, striving step by step, to reach the goals they've set for themselves. With such busy schedules, it is so much more complex now to gather as a family. So, whenever the puzzle pieces do come together, we all get so excited! And, the funny part about all of this--when we do gather, what do you think we talk about? Well, after the various life's updates--what we do most is reminisce about the many, many past travel adventures we took as a family...or two by two; or most often it was me with the four younger children who had more flexible schedules.
It all reminds me of Mark Twain's famous quote:
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
I'm a firm believer in living in the present. Embrace all the opportunities that life affords us. After all no one knows what the future brings. I'm not advocating a reckless abandon of planning for the future. But rather, embracing the moment. Perhaps, it has something to do with my sudden realization of how quickly time passes. If you don't think so--here's an illustration:
This first photo was taken of a T-shirt my son, Brennen and I had made. We chose to applique a photo of he and I taken during our summer European cruise in 1994. And, Brennen asked the shop owner to please in script the phrase, "Best Friends" below the picture. Brennen was 11 years old at the time.
The following January, 1995, Brennen and I were fortunate enough to attend the Super Bowl at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami. We eagerly climbed the bleachers to get to our assigned seats. We were both so excited--these were highly coveted seats--mostly reserved for corporate executives. Brennen felt very special! As we were settling in, Brennen took of his jacket, and what shirt was he wearing? Our Best Friends T-Shirt! He proceeded to ask me, "Mom, where's your Best Friends T-Shirt? Of course, we were in the corporate section, so I had to look the part, and chose not to wear it. But, that priceless memory is forever imprinted in my mind. I felt so cool being Brennen's Best Friend. I knew that would eventually change as he entered his teen years--but at that moment, I held the esteemed role!
Fast forward, 2010, and Brennen is now creating new travel memories with his own family. Here's a second photo of Brennen with his new Best Friends. I hope his little baby, Seren, someday soon says to her Daddy, "Where's your Best Friends T-shirt Daddy?" To which he will quickly respond, "I'm wearing it Seren. How cool is it that we get to be twins!"
1 comments:
So sweet! I'm just bummed I am the "minus one" that won't be in the Beehive State with the family. Brennen is grinning from ear-to-ear in his BF photo and his family photo is awesome! Have a beautiful Mother's Day weekend together. XOXO
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