The time without my mom has passed so quickly yet it painfully creeps by day by day. I was looking at pictures earlier. There are so many pictures of the two of us; me and my mom. I go to each picture and try to think back to when it was taken, where we were, how old I was, what drama was going on in my life that seemed like it was the end of the world. And I would do anything to take another picture, she and I, here on Earth.
You don't realize when the last picture you take with a loved one will be. It scares the hell out of me and is something that deeply, deeply saddens me when I look back at the time while my mom was still alive. The last picture I took with my mom was over a year before she died. I didn't even get a picture with her on Thanksgiving or Christmas. I took pictures of her with my niece and nephew and dad but I didn't get one with her. And that breaks my heart more than I can explain.
Recently, I booked a flight home to visit my dad for his birthday in a few weeks. It will be my first time returning since Christmas. I will be getting back to San Diego from a work trip in Las Vegas and then hopping on a flight a few hours later to go to DC. My dad felt bad because he knew it'd be a lot on me because of the work trip and my anxiety with flying and he said I could wait until next month. But birthdays are birthdays. I missed my mom's last birthdays before she died because I was living in another state and I'm not willing to miss my dad's birthday this year. Life is short. Shorter than we truly realize until something tragic happens.
Don't wait.
Visit your family. Take more than enough pictures. And keep your loved ones all around you. Even when you live far away. Find a way.
7 comments:
This is so sweet! Family truly is a precious thing. They are the ones we usually are closest with and they know us better than anyone else. I'm happy you get to go visit your dad :) You won't regret it.
Very well said it's very important and we usually make excuses for stupid reasons until we don't realize they could be our last time with them..
Very true words! I always try to take pictures with my family when I'm home.
P.S. I hope you're going to hit up Lindsey, Ashleigh and me when you're in Vegas! ;)
Sweet Chelsea, I'm in tears. Such a sweet, honest, beautiful post. I love that: DON'T WAIT. If only everyone could understand the importance of those words. Love you.
xo
Wonderful reminder! I'm always the girl with the camera and there is an excellent reason for that. Glad you are making that trip to see your dad.
Your blog is the most inspiring read for me lately. Love that you put it all out there. Thank you for that!
this brought tears to my eyes!! so so true.
I'm so stubborn when it comes to taking pictures, NEVER wanting to have a picture taken of me and I always get annoyed when my mom begs to take pictures of me & my siblings... I'm going to change my ways now, thank you so much for this!!!
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