I
close my eyes, it is one of those great memories that brings a smile to my face
and allows a peaceful feeling to settle over me.
When
I was younger my dad would take my mom, my sister and me on a two week summer
vacation. We’d all climb into the old station wagon for a two-day road trip,
stopping a nights rest at a hotel along the way. The car would fill with music
from the tape machine that belted out tunes from Kenny Rogers, The Bee Gees,
Crystal Gayle, Barbara Streisand and ABBA.
Sarasota
Florida. We rented a condo. Walking the sandy beach. Playing in the pool.
Laughing over a family night game of UNO out on the balcony. The food… oh the
food.
And
the rain.
Those
sunny warm rain showers.
Under
the watchful eye of my dad, my sister and I were allowed to venture out and
down to the empty tennis courts. Laughing and dancing in the puddles. Me and
the only person I ever wanted to hang with... my closest friend.
In
today’s difficult times, it is memories like this that I need to draw upon; to help
get me through.
I
have lived through a viral brain infection and the challenges it has brought into
my life including a learning disability; the loss of my dad and soon after both
grandparents, one to emphysema complications and the other, cancer. Financial
stresses; health woes; my mother’s fall and acquired brain injury, a car
accident that I managed to stumble away from but my car did not, and now, this
pandemic.
As I write this I know that the worry and stress and anxiety from it are not
over, but I will survive. I will get through resting on the memory of dancing
in the rain.
And
just as we all have great memories like this to fall upon, together we will
survive.
