Jots and Tittles and other Random Things

Mar 1 BCOF - Childhood Lessons

Prompt: WDC Calendar Prompt for March - The most important thing you learned as a child.


I'm not sure if this counts or not, but a lesson I learned (and am continuing to learn) is to not take family for granted. I have memories of my dad wanting to do things as a family, such as going for a drive. "Getting Lost" was what he called it. We would all pile in and go somewhere different, or he would find a different way of getting someplace we'd been before.

Growing up, getting older my 3 sisters and my mom and I would start complaining about these Saturday trips. Dad would try different tactics - even getting a pontoon boat for us to venture on the water. But the relentless march of time would cause Dad to give up these trips, unless he went out on his own. Everyone went their separate ways once grown. Married, military, jobs, kids of our own, missteps - we grew apart.

Now family is coming back into focus again, with that wheel of time not relenting. My sisters and I have become grandparents, lost track of kids with their own adventures. We lost one sister a couple years ago, and it has affected everyone greatly. Even mom and dad aren't the same anymore - at 76 and 80 this year they have their own emotional drama. Ugh!

How I wish I could go back in time and be excited about those "getting lost" trips. How I could just hold my parents and let them know that I do care and miss them being so far away in another state. I got to see my mom and dad and my two living sisters for Christmas this past year, and it was wonderful. I felt that we re-connected somehow. Life still marches on, and we've made promises to get closer emotionally if not physically and to keep up with one another better. I hope it still goes on in 2023.

Anyway, here it is.