This week in June has always been bittersweet for me. In 1998, my father passed away on Flag Day. In 2006, my Mother followed him in the very same week.
And, in this week, my town has a celebration, a town fair, so to speak -- this year, we're celebrating the 175th anniversary of the Town of Three Rivers. We celebrate with a car show and a art and vendor fair and a small carnival in the city parking lot.
So there's a bit of a disconnect here for me. On one hand, I do enjoy the Water Festival. On the other hand, I miss my parents. Even though I know they lived long, good lives and died of natural causes, I suppose I have a little bit of survivor's guilt.
I know I'm going to feel it a bit more when I go down to DisneyWorld later this year. I do enjoy the place, but, on the other hand, it's almost more of a sentimental journey for me. The folks, especially my Mom, loved the place. I enjoy it, too, but it's changed with the times. It's almost not the same park I remember. It needed to change, to survive. The rides I remember are not the ones it started with, and I miss some of those. And I will miss my parents' presence there.
On the other hand, I have done more with my life since they have passed away. I've started to follow some of my dreams that I think I denied myself when they were here. I knew my time with them was precious. And, since I lived with them -- I was one of those bounce-back kids -- I spent a lot of time with them. And when Mom went into the nursing home and the three of us girls took turns going to help her eat, most of our energies were used to keep her comfortable, along with living our lives.
But life goes on, and I must change with it. And I am. I go on. And I'm enjoying my life. I look forward to seeing them in the next, but I have no wish to hurry there.
Life is good.
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