These moments I rob from the "to-do's" of the day are a bit odd. As I prepare to write about my folks living way too far away - they are actually about a half hour across town sitting at the airport. As most everyone has experienced, due to the evolution of this world, people must now arrive at the airport a half day in advance, subject themselves to searches by machine and man and leave anyone not traveling three miles from the concourse. (We have already communicated by cell phone twice since I dropped them curb side hours ago, have returned home and had time to do a load of laundry - note: I haven't actually done laundry, but that's irrelevant, right?) Mom had her "cold cream" confiscated because of the recent multitudes of Granny terrorists with bombs in their makeup remover.
We had a great visit. The sights here are God breathed and testimony to His artistry. But there was no pressure to entertain or impress these people who brought me into this world and survived an era in my life when I ruined their carpet with my hair conditioner, kicked a hole in their wall because my brother angered me and never could find time to get the dishwasher unloaded before mom arrived home from work. (To help my daughters learn from my mistakes, I've timed the task and proved that they only need 2 minutes and 30 seconds to unload our dishwasher - but they still cannot manage to fit the task into their schedules either... must be genetic.)
I wish we didn't have such distance that separated our home from my parents. We're missing out on countless smiles that come from the simple times together. My favorite memory from this visit was my mom racing downstairs demanding that I rush to "see something." The sight I was about to behold was all the sweeter because it meant as much to my mom as me: my little three year old girlie who is always wearing a smile from ear to ear had crawled up on my father's bed and fallen asleep in his arms.
But, alas, I find comfort on two fronts. There was a time not too many generations ago that goodbye to those who were moving West often meant, "I'll see you in heaven." And, though our travel is cumbersome, expensive and absent of "cold cream" - we can still move about this country far easier than our ancestors. And we still have all eternity in my Lord's heaven - where the only searches will likely only be for our next smiley reunion when we're not resting in our Father's arms.
3 comments:
Oh, this is a sad post. It makes me miss my mom. I'm from Philippines, and been here for 5 months already... But I asked God always to enable me to visit my mom early next year... :)
I am so glad for you that you got to visit with your parents. I do so love finally being able to live in the same state as mine after so many years of living away.
I am so thankful for the miracle of modern travel. True while it is a pain to rid myself of all "liquid, gels and creams" more than 3 oz. and not in a quart -size ziploc, it is still easier than a wagon train! My sister and I drove part of the Oregon Trail and we discussed some of the very same things. It makes you so very thankful to have to deal with the terrors of trains,planes and automobiles. :)
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