On the last hour of the last day of a memorable 10 day family vacation, as i’m driving between Montebello and Gatineau, i am thinking…The late afternoon sun is slowly setting in the sky. We are listening to classical music in the car. Zack and Liam, the young cousins, are reading quietly. After an entire day spent in the car, i am impressed that they can still sit quietly. Marthe and Chi, the grand-parents, are relaxing. Nobody is talking. I’m thinking about this life.
This summer, we got together, the three brothers, the sister in law, the grand parents, the 4 grand children and we drove together to the end of Canada, to the city of Souris PE, and we boarded a boat to go as far as we could in Canada to visit one of it’s most beautiful places: the Magdalen islands. In the last few days, we spent more time together than we did in a year. We drove, we talked, we walked, we laughed, we played, we slept, we cooked, we ate, we did everything together, as one family.
I have learned this week about a few friend’s parents who are struggling with incurable disease and end of life decisions. I feel a lot of gratitude because, for now, our family as been spared by life. For all that i remember, we have been the lucky ones, granted with the gift of longevity. Still, it makes me sad to learn that some of my friends are going through the inevitable griefs that come with the incurable illness and inevitable eventual death of a family member.
As i am thinking about life, being grateful for the gifts i have received, i realize that I am entering this period of life where i am the one who can give. It is my turn to do what my parents did for me, to fill my child’s life with magical moments, beautifull landscapes, laughters, smiles, sunsets and lots of ice cream. It is also my turn to give some time and attention to my parents, as they have given me before, and to enjoy the privilege to share moments like this one together in health and wellness.
Our existence is not about accumulating things, money or achievements worth publishing on facebook,
It is simply about truly enjoying what we do now and appreciating what we have right now in front of us: time, health, people, friends, family.
Thank you.
Original post Facebook, August 2016
Martin Pham Dinh 