Post by tigerlily on Jun 8, 2009 10:56:08 GMT
...I still find myself thinking 'I want my Mom!'
I did just that on Saturday, slogging up yet another hill on the 12 mile trail we were following in the cold and wet. I was so thoroughly miserable, my left ankle had been hurting from the start and my right hip was joining in because I'd slept in the back of the car the night before.
We got to the next rest stop not long after. At some stops there's just a row of tables with cups of energy drink. At others, there is food as well as drink, and at these stops there is a DJ playing loud music to motivate us on to walk some more.
As we arrived at the stop, I could hear Amy Winehouse's cover of 'Valerie', by the Zutons, and I burst out laughing. Why? Because my Mom was called Valerie, and not fifteen minutes' earlier I'd been thinking 'I want my Mom!'
The next three miles or so passed pretty quickly, and I wasn't hurting any more. The trail was a bit flatter with some nice downhills, I hit my second wind and got into a good stride pattern and it felt pretty good.
Of course, it didn't last, and I was exhausted by the end (another three miles or so further still). But for that hour or so, I felt great, and very much comforted.
I do very much believe that some trace of the energy of our loved ones remains behind, and we can call on it in times of trouble.
Not long after AH's father had died, I was at the beach with our nephew, his aunt and her little granddaughter. They were running in and out of the water and having a great time, while I lay on the beach with my thoughts for a while (I didn't have a swimsuit at that point).
As I looked up and out over the water, I saw a single brown pelican go flapping past just above the surf at the water's edge. AH's dad loved the beach, we were in his favourite spot of all, and his favourite bird was the pelican. I felt his presence very much, then, and it made me smile. It was bittersweet, but very comforting.
I did just that on Saturday, slogging up yet another hill on the 12 mile trail we were following in the cold and wet. I was so thoroughly miserable, my left ankle had been hurting from the start and my right hip was joining in because I'd slept in the back of the car the night before.
We got to the next rest stop not long after. At some stops there's just a row of tables with cups of energy drink. At others, there is food as well as drink, and at these stops there is a DJ playing loud music to motivate us on to walk some more.
As we arrived at the stop, I could hear Amy Winehouse's cover of 'Valerie', by the Zutons, and I burst out laughing. Why? Because my Mom was called Valerie, and not fifteen minutes' earlier I'd been thinking 'I want my Mom!'
The next three miles or so passed pretty quickly, and I wasn't hurting any more. The trail was a bit flatter with some nice downhills, I hit my second wind and got into a good stride pattern and it felt pretty good.
Of course, it didn't last, and I was exhausted by the end (another three miles or so further still). But for that hour or so, I felt great, and very much comforted.
I do very much believe that some trace of the energy of our loved ones remains behind, and we can call on it in times of trouble.
Not long after AH's father had died, I was at the beach with our nephew, his aunt and her little granddaughter. They were running in and out of the water and having a great time, while I lay on the beach with my thoughts for a while (I didn't have a swimsuit at that point).
As I looked up and out over the water, I saw a single brown pelican go flapping past just above the surf at the water's edge. AH's dad loved the beach, we were in his favourite spot of all, and his favourite bird was the pelican. I felt his presence very much, then, and it made me smile. It was bittersweet, but very comforting.