Kristi and I went swimming with some Stingrays on Sunday, and I had plans of writing a long post about it.
It was incredibly enjoyable, even though both of us received painful bites, or "sucks" to be more accurate.
Here's Kristi's "Stingray Hickie."
Our amazing friends Marc and Kirstin keep the blog "Rues de Geneve" (link below.) They've been living in Switzerland for about the same amount of time we've been here in Cayman, and we shamelessly copied their idea of keeping a blog to chronicle the adventure.
Early this week, we received the sad news that Kirstin's Father had passed away in Texas after a heart-breaking battle with esophageal cancer.
The shadow that this news cast has left us feeling contemplative and even more woeful that we won't be returning home over the Christmas Holiday.
It also made writing an unfunny post about Stingrays seem even less important that it already was, if that's even possible.
This Holiday Season has really crept up on us. It's hard to take "December" seriously when we're rubbing aloe on sunburnt shoulders.
Yesterday, I heard one of my favorite Christmas Carols, Stevie Wonder's performance of "Someday at Christmas."
The rush of emotion was overwhelming.
I thought about our families and how hard it is to be so far away from them, especially during this time of year.
I thought about our friends and how Christmas is usually when we'd gather to check in on one another.
I though about the fragility and impermanence of everything, and loved ones who are no longer with us.
Thinking these things and hearing this song was too much, and I had to pull into a parking lot to wipe the tears from my eyes and regain control before finishing the drive to work.
I'm officially homesick.
I'm attaching Stevie's carol for you to enjoy.
Even though it was written in 1967, the lyrics are just as applicable today.
So, just in case.... Merry Christmas.
3 comments:
Marla and I are sorry to hear about your friend's father. Marla is unfortunately all to familiar with what it's like to lose your parents (although in her case only one was really worth mourning). Cancer is an evil, horrible thing.
It's always amazing how one thing, a smell, a taste, or a Stevie Wonder Christmas song, can instantly pull emotions that were buried deep or just under the surface and crystalize them for you. And while the need for aloe and non-need for home heating sounds pretty awesome to me right now, I think everyone can relate to what your feeling like. The Holidays are tailor made for homesickness if you're away from loved ones. So while we're trying to remain impartial in our words when it comes to urging you to stay or come back (!ydaerla kcab emoc tsuj tuB) we want you to know that we look forward to the day when we can once again have a designated "Dinner with Kristi and Zach Night".
We love and miss you both.
P.S. I believe, for your own safety, that you and Kristi need to stay away from all forms of wildlife. I'm afraid that all this fire ant and stingray business will eventually lead to an incident of Irwinian propotions.
Z & K,
What a sweet post to find.
It's true -- there are some times that are especially hard to be far away. Dealing with my dad being sick while living in Geneva hasn't been easy, but I think often on a phone conversation we had recently. We were talking about some new place I was going to visit, and all the things I've had a chance to see that he never did (neither he nor my mom have ever left the country). Right before we hung up he told me to 'save up the stories' for him.
And I think about that all the time. Dad -- like Steve & Nora no doubt -- wanted me to do everything I've ever wanted, some of the things he never got to do and some things we haven't even thought of yet... part of the fun for him was hearing about it and knowing what I good time I was having.
And it applies here, too. Of course the story of hickie-giving sting rays isn't going to cure cancer (or will it?) but never underestimate the significance of your life in someone else's, trivial as it may seem. Here it is Friday, a day after my dad's memorial service, and I'm relaxing by checking this blog to make sure you guys are keeping up the life fantastic for the rest of us.
So, in summation stop giving Kristi hickies and blaming it on water creatures. Nobody believes you.
love, k
hey Zach,
I like your sting ray hickie.
I need to now when your coming.
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