Wednesday, April 30, 2014

The Call of the Conch

Those of us who spend our winters bundling up against the cold, wind, and rain often feel the pull of a warm weather destination by about... mmm, mid-January.  Call it the call of the conch.


My dad and his wife have become quite the snowbirds, flying south to Florida for the winter, and for several years, we have considered paying a visit to their nest.  Somehow we have always found reasons not to make this trip from Vancouver: a fifteen hour travel day across North America with two small children, two flights, and a three hour time difference being high on the list of so-called obstacles.

But with three sets of parents mostly in their seventies, talk also turns to spending more time with them, and creating opportunities for our children to know their grandparents.  The need to show up, to be there, to be present.... becomes increasingly urgent as time marches on. 



So this year, we finally stopped focusing on what was holding us back and heeded the call of the conch.  And oh, we most certainly did not regret it!


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
"Unconditional Surrender." Exactly.
 
The moral of the story?  Listen for the call of the conch. And follow it.
 
 
Show up. Get there. Be present.
Because it matters.
 

And it will most definitely be worth it!
 
"I'd rather regret the things I have done than the things that I haven't." -Lucille Ball

 
Mama’s Losin’ It

7 comments:

  1. I spend almost the same time visiting my parents too. And 2 flights minimum - I dream with the day of direct flight.

    Lovely pictures, lovely family.

    p.s. I like the huge statute! Awesome!

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    Replies
    1. I guess once you have to get on two different flights, it's all pretty much a wash. My kids held up better than I expected. The four-year-old can watch TV for hours and hours and did so happily. The 20-month-old... was a whole other story!

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  2. So glad you finally made it to Florida! (I live here, XD)

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  3. Oh your pictures ALONE are worth the trip from my perspective! I totally would be intimidated by a long travel day, the time change, the temper tantrums...I can see how that would hold you back!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It has for a few years, but I'm SO glad we finally bit the bullet and did it. My kids are still talking about it, and I have a feeling they will be for months to come!

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  4. So glad you ended up going! How special for the grandparents and the kids!

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