Living the good life: Lake Placid
We arrived at the airport on Friday to find our flight was oversold. By 10 seats. “Should I stay?” I asked my mom, because Matt’s trial lingered on and the thought of returning to Minneapolis without him there made me lonely.
“Definitely,” she said.
So we gave up our three seats for $1200 in credit vouchers, only our car seats and suitcases didn’t make it off the plane.
My blood pressure shot up: How would we leave the airport without our car seats? “Just go with the flow,” my mom said, and I took a deep breath. And went with the flow. After all, it’s not like they checked my IPhone.
Delta loaned us three car seats and gave us a clothing allowance. And the flow took us here, to Lake Placid, a vacation spot – home to two Olympics – tucked in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate NY.
Because I don’t see my mother as much as I would like. And during our last week together, a pulled muscle and the heat got to her. It was the first time I felt stronger than her, better equipped to take on the responsibility of three lives.
As we drove through the mountains, I realized I was the hub now; she was along for the ride. And I asked her if she is afraid of dying, now that she has fewer years ahead of her than behind her.
And she said, “No. I have lived a good life. I know you girls are able to take care of yourselves – and your children, if need be – and that was what I was put on this earth to do.”
Maybe that is why some days my joy mixes with sadness when I see a reminder of the growth in our children: a new haircut, clothes the next size up, feet no longer squeezing into a shoe.
We move off this earth to make room for others. And I hope, like any other mom, that I’ll be here long enough to teach our children how to take care of themselves. Because one day it will be their turn to carry on, and my job is to see that they are fit to do it.
What is your definition of a good life?
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I recently celebrated my grandfather’s 85 birthday. He called me over and said, “Kristin, as I have gone through life, I realize it all boils down to love.” Those were his end of life words for me. His eyes teared up and I knew this man, who wasn’t always kind or thoughtful, really had discovered that love was most important. I’m glad he arrived there…and I’m glad I was allowed to share in that moment with him.
I don’t have the answer but I do think as we age we see this more. So many older people seem to feel this way. I guess only time will tell. BTW, I love Lake Placid. Nice place to be!
This was wonderfully said. I agree. The mark, for me, of a good life will be being able to say that I did some good and that I raised good boys who can continue to do that, too.
I love your mom’s comment and am glad you’re enjoying some quality time!
::cry::
I am so glad you got to spend some extra time with your mom – and the kids with their gram…
There’s so much on this earth I need to accomplish – I hope one day I can answer as your mother did -
That’s my hope too, and the older Griffin gets, the stronger I feel about it. But it’s also important to me to be able to live a life that sits well in my heart; a life where I’ve strived for the right reasons and not for what society wishes, a life that is filled with work that I love and treasure and a life where I can spend time with the people who matter the most to me. Along the way, I only hope that I have some impact on others- a kind word at just the right time, a laugh when needed or simply offering hope to someone that the dark valleys of life are always followed by sunlit peaks.
I love the photo of you and your kids. You look so happy.
Stopping by from Mom Loop follow Friday thingy… a few days late. But stopping by none the less. I get sentimental about so many random things. Like my oldest’s clothes are too big for kid sized hangers now.
What a wonderfully fantastic mini vacation you got your hand on there. I was going to leave a comment just about the extra time you got to spent with your Mom but then well, I read the rest of the article and now .. here I sit teary eyed. Second time that has happened to me today and both posts were oddly similar. The first post I read this morning was about a lady whose father passed away, two years later she donated an organ to his brother in his honor only to find out she was pregnant at the time of the transplant. Her daughter was born on the anniversary of his death. It reminded me of my own story, my son was born 2 months after my grandfather died of Leukemia. My mother often reminds me of what you said here, you leave the earth to make room for others and while the thought of that saddened me greatly at first. My grandfather leaving to make room for my son … fast forward a few years and it is uncanny how much my son is like him. Almost cosmic
Now I smile thinking he will grow up to be a great man, father, friend … just like my grandfather was – with a little help form him up above.
Thanks for sharing, I loved this post.
I’ll see if I can find the other story i was talking about and send you the link.
Crap, this made me cry. Part of it was that my mom is such an anti-mom, that I can only wish I had conversations like that with her. The other part is that it’s true – no matter how frustrating it can be to be a mom, I notice those little signs of growth too and my heart breaks a little to realize that my youth is slipping away too and someday he won’t need me like he needs me now.
Ugh, it drives me nuts thinking about these things!
I found you through one of those follow friday things on The Blog Frog and have loved everything I’ve read so far. You’ve got a very beautiful family, lady!
Here’s the link I was referring to
http://www.ourmommyhood.com/2010/07/15/the-day-that-changed-everything…/
I stumbled on to her by Mom Loop too, what a terrific bunch of ladies I got to meet this weekend
I look forward to reading more from you both and chatting along the way
I found you on blog frog. Your post is beautiful–I can see why it was your favorite of the week. Cherish those moments with your mom and your kids. It sounds like you guys had quite and adventure!
A good life: Happy, healthy kids; roof over the head; food on the table; and the knowledge that God loves me. Oh, and a little chocolate and good red wine along the way don’t hurt either.
Wonderful post. I need to go with the flow more often than I do. If we all made it through the day and laid down to be happy that is the good life sometimes it doesn’t happen but we get up the next day and try again.