prime rib and lobster,
deck chairs with spectacular views,
or tropical breezes and aquamarine waves....
What a lovely cruise we had. Despite Dad developing shingles! Thankfully it has been a mild case, but the stress of the last weeks and the grieving process undoubtably opened the door to this "uncomfortable" development. The doctor okayed our travel plans and Dad spent much of the time resting and eating, the true luxuries of cruise travel!
And this cruise was so important to Dad, for many reasons. But mostly because it was one of those mountains he had to face. The last cruise we had planned was just a few short months ago to celebrate mom's 1st Year Canciversary. Mom and Dad have always loved cruising and have been on more than 20 cruises to points all around the globe. We had planned an easy cruise for mom this time, out of the Galveston port to the sunny shores of Cozumel, but Pneumonia beat us out, and mom was in the hospital the week we were scheduled to depart. More than once that week, she murmured her regrets that we couldn't make the cruise, no matter how often we assured her it didn't matter. But it mattered to her. And to Dad. I know he wanted to take her on one last cruise. Maybe as a way to say goodbye, or maybe as a way to spend time with her in a place that held so many joyful memories, far, far from the world of cancer and its stranglehold.
That trip never happened. She passed away December 4th, the day we would have arrived back home.
And so we have grieved... Dad, especially has grieved a loss we can only imagine. A wife, a companion, his best friend of 51 years. The emptiness in his life now is vast... Each day is a study in loss, from the moment he wakes, alone in the bed they shared, to the dinner for one he eats alone in his study. The grieving at times is monumental...
Thus we search for ways to walk through the grief to a new normal, a way to find joy in our shared memories, ways to find new meaning in a life altered beyond recognition.
It was Dad who suggested this cruise. With great trepidation, but also a steely determination. He needed to face that fear, wanted to continue on as mom had wished. My brother, Steve, readily agreed to be his "roomy." And Katie, my daughter, happily agreed to be mine! No one else in the family could get vacation so quickly, and actually this smaller group was probably a blessing we hadn't considered. Since none of us was there with our spouse, Dad didn't have to face the journey as the "5th wheel", the newly widowed. He was just a part of our rag-tag family unit. Perfect solution to easing into this new stage in his life, traveling solo, without mom...
And the week was marvelous. Mom would have been so proud of him, after she scolded him for getting the shingles right before the cruise! We all had our moments, tears were just as much a part of our day as was the laughter. But the closeness, the sharing was all very much a part of the healing. This cruise gave promise to better days ahead, not perfect days, but better days. We saw glimpses of the Dad we thought we had lost when we lost Mom. And we captured it in pictures - another delightful family vacation!
Lounging on the Beach
Seaside Lunches
Souvenir Shopping
Up Close with the Local Wildlife... Yes, those are Live Iguanas!!!
Exploring Ancient Mayan Ruins
Conquering the Pyramid! Cue the "Rocky" music...
Charmed by the spring-fed cenote. Absolutely pristine!
Food, Glorious, Food! My, oh my, meals were culinary works of art!!
Birthday Shenanigans were all part of the fun...
Our carriage awaits, taking us to beaches of unspoiled beauty...
Opening our hearts to the possibilities of joy beyond the grief...
