Life is short my friends, let me tell you about our trip to France.

[yy4me]

Perhaps you will reconsider your "someday" plans and take that long talked about trip to --anywhere.

My husband and I, during the last 15 or so years, went to Europe 4 times. We saved through the year and traveled on a shoestring but had a great time, met a ton of great people and have albums full of great memories.

Four years ago, we went to France with one of our daughters. Had a great time in Paris and Provence.
Charged almost everything and paid it off during the course of the coming year. We had plans to do a similar trip last year with my other daughter but I have developed a foot problem that caused me great pain in walking. We postponed the trip to this year. My foot is slightly better and the deal was that we will go but if I have trouble walking, my husband and daughter would spend the day doing -whatever and I'd spend my day reading on the riverbank in Paris.

We had a great trip, foot bothered me but I charged on, not wanting them to feel bad for me. My husband insisted we take this trip, he said we may never have the chance again and he was right.

We came back at the end of May,and talked about maybe all of us, our 2 girls, their husbands and my 2 grandchildren going to Rome next year. What fun that would be. We joked that we hope we make it that long, our old bones are creaking and we have more aches and pains but we'll tough it out.

That trip will never happen, you see, my husband of 45 years died of a massive hemorrhagic stroke on June 27th. He was healthy and took care of himself. I am in shock and life is a blank right now. I can't imagine the years I will spend thinking of the good times we had.

The message to you all, reconsider the "someday" plans, you never know what "someday" will bring. I am so thankful that we went and would feel even worse if I had backed out because of my feet. He would never have seen the joy in my daughters face as we viewed the famous places we have all just read about.

[SpookyCat]

1. I'm so sorry for your loss.

And thank you for that reminder yy4me. You are very right. How wonderful that you have the memories that you do.

[Kajsa]

2. I'm so sorry,yy4me.

My condolences to you and your family.

I'm glad you got to share the trip with him and
thank you so much for sharing the wisdom of
turning "someday" plans into today's plan.

Healing and peace to you and your family.

:hug:

[comrade snarky]

3. Words are a poor way express my feelings

I am so sorry for your tragic loss but I'm glad you have such good memories and don't have to regret putting the trip off until it's too late. You are right, life is so very incredibly important to live. We only get one go at it (that I know of) and I hate to see people not follow their dreams.

I think you should re-post this in general discussion. Here in the travel group we're, by and large, the true believers. It's important for more people to see outside the travel ghetto.

Thank you for sharing this.

[yy4me]

4. Good Morning, thank you for your suggestion. I don't know how

to repost this except copy the whole thing? Is that the way to do it?

Thanks

[comrade snarky]

5. Hi

Sorry, been at work all day and wasn't able to get to DU.

I'd say just post it but I see you already have :hug:

Ignore the pinhead, I probably shouldn't have replied but that boiled my blood. I'm sorry your thread was disrupted like that. He owes you an apology.

[NashVegas]

6. I'm So Sorry For Your Loss

And happy for you, that you got to go.

[riverwalker]

7. So sorry for your loss

Your advice is golden. My mother died in March, complications of a hemorrhagic stroke she had a month after retiring in 1991. She was born in Norway, immigrated in 1946 after the war and occupation of Norway by Germany when their homes were destroyed. Her dream was to someday return to Norway to visit, see her family and place of birth "someday...when I retire". She never got the chance.
Next month I am going to northern Norway, to see family and the place of her birth. I am bringing with me her old Norwegian passport with the dreamy photo of a young woman. I will keep it close for good luck as it returns across the ocean one last time.

[Eurobabe]

8. Oh wow, I wrote to you earlier in another group

I did not realize that was you. I am so sorry for your enormous loss. :hug:

Yes, life is unpredictable, enjoy life to the fullest is my motto. So far I have no regrets, and I continue to live life that way. Glad you were able to get to France together, you will have memories that will sustain you in the darkest times. 45 years together is a very long time, you don't need me telling you that. :grouphug:

[Flying Dream Blues]

9. YY4me, I'm so sorry for your loss, and what a terrible shock.

Your message is such an important one...to take all of our opportunities to create special memories and have adventures with those we love. I commented on an earlier thread of yours where you mentioned Beaune, which was someplace my husband and I loved visiting a few years ago.

If you don't know about the Bereavement Group here at DU, you might check it out. There are lots of great people there with an understanding ear who are all on the grief journey. I wish you comfort and peace, and please take good care of yourself during this time. I'm glad you have such happy memories. If I can help, please PM me.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=323

[SurveyResearch2008]

10. I went to Paris last summer and it was the best trip of my life.

I've felt the same way you do for some time now - life is too short to spend saying "someday", and you never know what will happen to you tomorrow.

Sorry for your loss.