Chirped by Cass and Tina

It’s been a few weeks since our last post. Like everyone else, sometimes “Life” catches up with us and we have to stop and just take a breath. At this stage in our Empty Nester lives, while some of us are happily welcoming home recently-fledged chicks for the summer, others are dealing with ailing parents or estranged family, family that can’t be with us for the wrong reasons, or even coping with the death of a loved one. Our parents, aunts, uncles, and if you’re lucky, even grandparents are aging. Disease and tragedy can strike unexpectedly at any age. Sometimes we just need to reflect, and recognize that things that may have seemed like mundane daily routines to us were actually the traditions that make us remember who we are and who we love.

West Shore Farmer’s Market

Going to the West Shore Farmer’s Market every week to buy fresh fish and produce with your parents might seem like a boring chore to be dragged along to – but now that they’re gone, you remember those times, and the special candy stand they used to take you to, or the one they bought their favorite pie from, and wish you had those trips with them again.

Raking leaves with your Dad, and then dumping them over the embankment to jump in afterwards, at the time may have not been your favorite way to spend a Saturday, but you remembered the jumping part fondly and wanted to recreate that experience again with your own kids once  you were the parent.

We’d like to encourage everyone to just take a moment to cherish happy memories, celebrate the friends and family we  have around us, and look forward to reunions with loved ones that are far away… Most importantly, shine a new light on those daily routines, because someday, they may be the memories that we, or someone else, will most treasure.

Miss you, Dad… 1941-2018.