Day 1,453 – Finding Joy in the Journey – Tuesday – 10/26/2021
Do You Save The Good Dishes
Do you save the good dishes and the special bottle of wine for just the right occasion?
Tonight, Steve and I took out one of the best wines from the wine cooler and toasted my mom. It was four years ago today, that her heart let out and she passed away. She was here one moment, full of life, laughing, entertaining others and the next she was gone. It was so unexpected which is why I believe you can’t wait to use or drink the good stuff until the perfect time. There are times in life when you never know it was the right moment, until after the fact.
Three days before my mom died, she came to my house, and we celebrated my dad’s birthday. I pulled out a 1998 Joseph Phelps Insignia to celebrate. My mom told me to save it for a special occasion. I’m so glad I didn’t listen to her and instead said “this is a special occasion” and opened the bottle of wine.
As I look back, it was a very special evening as it was the last time, I would have wine and dinner with my mom. I didn’t know it would be our last though I’m glad I listened to the prompting to open the bottle of Insignia instead of her insistence to save it.
So, cheers to you Mumsy!! I will drink a good bottle of wine on this day in honor of you, the lives you touched and to remember not to wait on a special occasion to use the good stuff, though create your own special occasion, as you never when it will be your last.
#LovePeopleLoveLife #IInspireFreedom
About “Finding Joy”
And I’m off…. the 16-day adventure begins. The timing of this trip is interesting so I’m naming it “Finding Joy in the Journey.” I’ll be doing one dedicated post each day (at the end of the day or next morning). Since I typically post more than once a day, you’ll find it as a black and white photo. I’ll share the joy of the journey (on the trip or through this season), where I’m finding it and what I’m learning. I hope to inspire myself along the way. And if I can inspire others too, that would be a gift. So let the journey begin…
It was November 2017 and I was ready to head off on a sixteen-day trip. Nine days before leaving, my mom unexpectedly passed away from a heart attack. It shook me to my core. I had always been told the 40’s are the best years of your life. And in a matter of three years, since turning the age of 40, I had gone through a divorce and lost both parents.
I contemplated canceling the trip though I knew my mom would not be happy with that decision. She would want me to continue living my life. My parents did not raise me to sit back and watch life; instead to fully participate in every moment. So I promised my parents to find joy in the journey everyday on my sixteen-day trip and share my experience with others.
Little did I know what “Finding the Joy in the Journey” would turn into when I acted on the prompting to share my experience on a daily basis. It helped me see life differently and my wish is that it will inspire others find joy in their journey.
