Go Beyond

McAllen, Texas

There is something about returning to my childhood home that is unlike any other experience, at least for me. Perhaps it’s because I am prone to bouts of acute nostalgia the farther south I travel down US Route 281. Driving past towns named after cattle ranches of years gone by stirs my memories. Familiar landmarks remind me of other journeys I have made down this same route on the holidays and ordinary days of my own past. As I drove from Corpus Christi to McAllen yesterday, I reflected on those first trips back home to celebrate Mother’s Day and Christmas or to just spend a few days with Mom and Dad when I was a much younger man. Although the road is the same, so much has changed. Even though I know that things will never again be what they once were, once I cross the city limits I often find myself sighing and wishing for the beauty of days gone by.

I think it’s interesting that while our memories are tethered to points in time the tether is often long enough to allow our memories to reach across time. My Dad sent me a birthday card that got me to thinking about how memories compress time. My Dad wrote, “It seems like yesterday when I was holding you in my arms … How time flies!” I think we’ve all had those same thoughts and experienced those same feelings when reflecting on the march of time or when visiting certain places or when looking at old photographs that stir our emotions. One good reason why we should make the most of every day is because the things we do today will become the memories that we reflect on in years to come. We should do more than just make memories on holidays and special occasions. The threads of every ordinary day should be of such quality that when they are woven into our tapestry of memories they will result in something beautiful that we can enjoy through the years.

Dad and I will depart early tomorrow morning on our road trip. We are living proof that an 82 year-old man and his 56 year-old son can and should continue to make memories together. Dad and I are still working on our respective tapestries one thread at a time. One day my Dad’s loom will be silent … and one day the shuttles on my loom will also cease to fly. However, we want what we have spent a lifetime weaving to be a thing of beauty that will encourage and inspire others even after we are gone. I can hardly wait to get on the road tomorrow and to spend the coming days with my Dad. One day I will look back and reflect on these days and think to myself, “It seems like yesterday that Dad and I traveled across the country together on our great adventure.” For me, every mile and every experience along the way will be better because of the opportunity to share them with my Dad. More to come…