Arizona vacation: Day 8

My last morning in Arizona began the same as many others. I woke up early to beat the heat of the day. I went for a run with my dad, this time taking extra note to the beauty of the scenery: The red earth; the tall, desert cacti; the clear, blue sky without a cloud in sight. We finished our run at Starbucks, where we ordered lattes. When we returned to the house, we ate breakfast with Bev and Gus. I soaked in my last few moments with my family, studying their features and listening to their laughter. 

The time to leave came far too quickly. We hugged our loved ones goodbye, promising to visit again soon. Hopefully, there will not be another decade between now and our next visit. Jake, Mom, Dad, and I piled our luggage into the van and then climbed inside. We waved one last time to Bev and Gus, who were standing in the doorway of their home, and then we began the hour-long drive to the airport.

It was a quiet, somber trip. None of us were quite ready to leave. We had enjoyed the time spent with family in Arizona; we all wanted just one more day to fully appreciate how precious that time had been.

When we arrived at the airport, we returned our rental car and then took the shuttle to our terminal. We were running late, and I was getting nervous. I kept checking my watch as the minutes dwindled down. However, the airport was nearly empty once again. We made it through baggage claim and security in record time. There were even a few minutes to spare for a quick snack before we boarded our plane.

Today’s flight home was easier than the trip to Arizona had been. Instead of two flights with an unnecessarily long layover in between, we had one four-and-a-half-hour flight straight back to our destination. Instead of sleeping on this flight, I decided to finish my book, Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan. The book kept me at rapt attention, turning pages feverishly throughout, until I finally reached the last, eloquently written paragraph. 

While reading, I was treated to the cacophony of, not just one, but two crying babies. When one stopped, the other picked up her shift. On rare occasion, we were treated to a lovely duet. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the parents as my fellow passengers grew restless in their seats. Luckily, it seemed that most people on the airplane had come prepared with headphones and earplugs, so there were no voiced complaints.

I had nearly reached the end of my book when the plane began to descend. I looked up from the words to glance out the airplane window at the perfect moment. Rippling water basking in the sunlight wound through tall, green trees that covered the land. Upon the water, a lonely boat cut through the waves in the direction of a distant bridge. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the sight. It was as if, in just a week of being away, I had forgotten how much I loved the trees and adored the greenery that surrounded me  at home. I had forgotten the summer days I am accustomed to, lying on a boat or on the shore of a beach with the hot sand between my toes, soaking up the sunshine.

Me hiking at Oregon Ridge Nature Center in Baltimore County

“Look at all that humidity,” the passenger behind me grunted.

Oh, yes, I can’t forget the humidity, too. We are back in Maryland, the state of muggy summers; brilliant thunderstorms; tasty blue crabs served with Old Bay; and bright, black-eyed Susans. We are back in the state where I grew up, where I feel a familiar sense of comfort no matter where I have been or how long I have been gone. We are home.

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Arizona vacation: Day 5

My family having lunch at Pam’s & Rick’s house – from left to right: Dad, me, Mom, Kathleen, Pam, Samuel, Gus, Thomas, Bev, Jake, Isabella, and Steve

Today, I started my morning far earlier than my body wanted. The heat in Sun City becomes unbearable by 7:00am, so we had to start running as soon as the sun rose. 

Dad and I mapped our route to end at Starbucks, and afterwards we each enjoyed our first cup of espresso since the trip began. After four days of very little sleep, my body needed that boost of caffeine.

Getting up so early gave us the luxury of relaxing for the rest of the morning. We sipped and enjoyed our coffees on the veranda outside until it was too hot to sit, and then we sat in the air conditioned living room. Bev and Gus had locally grown grapefruits, and even though they are strictly not allowed by my current low-FODMAP diet, I couldn’t help but taste a small bite. The citrus fruit burst inside my mouth, yielding a delightfully tart juice that was the perfect balance between bitter and sweet. 

At noon, we left to go to Pam’s house. Pam is Bev’s eldest daughter. She lives in Fountain Hills, an hour away from Sun City. On the way, we chatted with Bev and Gus and shared stories and pictures from our latest life adventures. The hour flew by. Sooner than I realized, we were arriving at the mansion-sized homes situated on the sides of canyons, overlooking red rocks and the valley far below. 

Pam is a beautiful soul. There are some people who just seem to understand life at a different level. They are humble, loving and giving to no end. They are the kind of people you can spend hours with without even realizing the passage of time, and when you do leave, you feel better about yourself and inspired to love others well. This is the kind of person Pam is. She was an incredible hostess, and despite the fact that I had never met her before, she greeted me with love and treated me as if I was her own daughter. At the end of our visit, she hugged me tightly and requested I return any time I needed a place to sleep. 

While at Pam’s house, we spent time with her and her husband, Rick, as we savored our last moments with Steve and the kids. From here, we would part ways – Steve and the kids would return home while we drove back to Bev’s and Gus’ house. We talked and shared a commemorative last meal together. The hours ran away from us quicker than we could chase them, and before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye. 

Uncle Steve and Mom just before saying goodbye

It was hard to say farewell not knowing when I would see them again. Before this trip, I had not visited Steve in eight years; the kids had truly been children and toddlers, and I had been a mere freshman in high school. Now, those “kids” are almost full grown, and I have graduated from college, started a career, and gotten engaged. So much has happened since we last visited, and so much could happen before we see one another again. In another eight years, even the youngest will be a legal adult and I will be in my thirties. 

I hugged each of my relatives, requesting that, this time, we wouldn’t wait as long until we saw each other again. Thomas seemed the most upset by the separation; he gave me at least five earnest hugs, assuring me each time that he would come to visit me in Maryland next year. I really do hope that we can make that happen. 

After Steve and the kids left, we said goodbye to Pam and Rick and began the drive home. It was a somber mood in the car. Luckily, we had a sermon Pam recommended to distract us. The message was focused on kindness, and it used the movie “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” to lead its trajectory. 

Playing cards a few days ago at Steve’s house – from left to right: Sam, Kathleen, me, Thomas, Mom, and Jake

Kindness truly is what makes life beautiful. Mr. Rogers said the way to become successful in life is to be kind, and I think that must be true. I have never felt more fulfilled than after a day when I believed I truly did some good in this world, when I had been kind to others. The message reminded us that we should never so busy in our lives that we don’t realize or recognize when other people need help, and that we should extend kindness to all, even those who do not give it back to us. So many of us think of kindness as conditional; if someone is kind to one of us, we are kind back. But the beauty of true love – of God’s love – is that it is unconditional; there is nothing someone has to do to earn it, and, even more importantly, there is nothing someone can do to get rid of it. As Christ’s followers, we are called to love like that.

When we arrived home, the bittersweet taste had not left us. After such a long day and with another early morning ahead of us, we went to bed early. Lying in the guest bedroom, I couldn’t help but think back over the last few days of our trip.

It’s the finitude of moments in life that makes them both sweet and bitter. I can’t help but feel sad when wonderful moments come to an end. But endings are truly beautiful. Without them, we would not appreciate the time we have. Endings bring closure to long-awaited journeys and hope for an unknown future. Endings are what remind us to make the most of the moments we are in, and they are what make memories so precious. 

Eating dinner our first night at Steve’s house – from left to right: Thomas, Jake, me, Samuel, Kathleen, Mom, and Dad

The sermon today and the interactions I had with my family members also reminded me what makes endings a little sweet rather than only bitter. After all, there certainly are endings that leave us with only a bitter taste in our mouths. What gives moments meaning is the kindness exchanged within them. Love makes life worth living. 

The best way to make the most of the moment I am in is to focus on being kind to those around me. When I am that devoted to being kind and cognizant of others’ needs, it helps me to remember to be present with those around me. So, when those moments end and it is time to say goodbye, the farewell is not nearly as bitter because I have made so many fond memories with those I love. 

The most beautiful thing about today’s ending is that I know it is not final. While I am not sure when I will see these family members again, I do know that we will be reunited someday. The beauty of today’s ending is that, while this chapter has come to a close, the story is not yet finished.

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