Making Time For Memories

We recently spent three weeks in Maine, during which, we were able to do fun things amidst the planning and preparing for Tracey's wedding and getting the yearly house maintenance accomplished. 

On the way back to Boston, to fly back to Colorado, we stopped and spent the night in a hotel situated on Hampton Beach in New Hampshire.  It was a short amount of time, in relation to the three weeks we had just spent in Maine, but it will forever be a favorite memory of mine.

Beaches can be crowded places in the summer time, but Mom somehow timed it just right.  Once we got settled into our room, she brought Tan to the beach that evening, and then we all went again in the morning before taking off for the airport.  It seemed we had the whole place to ourselves, at those hours, and added a magical touch, as if it had been reserved for our entertainment alone.  Tan enjoyed playing in the waves, digging in the sand, and just running around in the wide open space.

I am sad to report that I was experiencing bone pain and fatigue so I was not able to enjoy the beach in a practical sense, but sitting there breathing in the smell of the ocean and seeing the joy on my son's face left me feeling quite satisfied.  It was an expensive evening, as far as money is concerned, but the memories we made that day are priceless.  I am thankful to my generous and thoughtful parents who planned this as a way to break up the long travel for me and my two year old, and to give us the gift of a day at the beach.  It is a sight that I often long for, as I live in Colorado, so any time spent near the Ocean is a welcome gift.

Since I work a lot with military members, I see a lot of people who are separated from their extended families, their spouses, and their children, for extended periods of time.  I have met many individuals who did not have a good childhood, and who do not have very many memories of family outings or special days.  I am reminded of the quote by George Eliot, who wrote, "it is never too late to be what you might have been."  I believe that this is also true of memories because you can begin today to make pleasant ones.

I count myself blessed to be born into a family whose values were to play with and spend time with their children.  I have been given a multitude of special memories of things we have done and places we have gone.  Even when we could not go anywhere more elaborate that than the dollar movie theater, or to buy a snow cone on a hot summer day in Texas, my parents were quick to supply at least that.  Even now, when we all get together, we laugh and joke and the time is enjoyable.  Our trip to Maine had some bumps in the road but we traversed them laughing ourselves silly.

I am proud to say that when my own little fledgling family found itself in the battle of my lifetime, I was quickly surrounded by my parents who were quick to sacrifice themselves, once again, to help me. They circled the wagons along with my local and now grafted-in Colorado family to support me and Huy and our son Tan.  It is a humbling and beautiful thing to be the recipient of so much love and care.  Additionally, I have hundreds of kind and caring folks praying for me all over the country.  I truly believe that because of this outpouring of prayer, love, support and God's mercy I am looking and feeling quite well.  I have more energy and stamina and can use it to work, travel and assist in the care of my son.  This is a pretty powerful statement when you remember that at the time of my diagnosis (Oct 09) I was unable to lift my infant son and could walk only with great difficulty.

Cancer is a crisis that affects everyone in a family.  In the beginning, I could not think of any word more scary than cancer.  Ok, well the word chemotherapy ran a close second for me on the scary scale.  I am 21 months into this cancer journey and I know that I would not feel as incredibly blessed as I feel today had I not experienced this.  I do not see cancer the same way today that I did back in October 09.  I do not see my loved ones the same or any opportunity to celebrate life.  I hope that I may be able to teach my son the importance of creating some special memories and spending time loving and being loved by family along his journey.  I pray that you will also be able to take some time this summer and make some special memories of your own.

Susan