Tonight's picture was taken in October of 2007. I will never forget this wonderful photo that Peter captured. We took Mattie to Butler's Orchard in Maryland and as you can see he rode a hay wagon out to the pumpkin patch, where he picked many beautiful pumpkins to take home!
Quote of the day: A man travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it. ~ George Moore
We haven't seen Maureen and Philip since my wedding, which was over 23 years ago. So in a way, going to NY, was just as much about returning home and seeing family as it was about my mom receiving an honor from her school. When I knew my cousins years ago, I was much younger and had a lot less baggage or perhaps emotional insights. Now that I have experienced great illness, death, and tragedy, I am much more aware of those around me and am eager to hear about their lives and stories. What I came away with from Wednesday's dinner is that I am saddened to live so far away from my cousins, as I feel we have a lot in common and we both understand and value the role of the family caregiver.
While at dinner, I had a wonderful time connecting with my cousin Maureen. My cousin has been a caregiver for decades. In fact, I can't think of a time when she wasn't helping a family member. As I always say, family caregivers are the unsung heroes of our society. It is a self-less job, but one that makes a profound impact on the lives of those receiving the care, support, and love. Though my caregiving has been different from Maureen's, there are many similarities and commonalities that we share. But I think it is special to be able to sit down with someone and just in a matter of a couple of words and stories, feel that we are both on the same page! For me this is a refreshing experience because I don't always feel that way in my numerous interactions with people.
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