10 years later...

For those of you who know anything about me, you know that for 5 years my parents were separated. It was one of the worst times of my life. I remember the day that I got the voice message in March 2003 that they had some news to share. I thought someone had died. I called right away and here the big news was that they had reconciled and my dad would move back into the house. I stood motionless in the living area of my old Media apartment, dumbfounded and speechless. It wasn't a "I'm so surprised and excited, I don't know what to say" speechless moment. It was "Don't f with me. I don't have the strength to believe and live this if it isn't the real deal." I believe I muttered a "What?! Wow, that's fantastic!" but really I wasn't buying anything and figured time will tell. Hell, not after 5 years of limbo, indecisiveness, confusion had become the status quo. Just one day and the world suddenly righted itself?

I know lots of others were as skeptical as me. Some didn't know how to take it, what to think and even waited and looked for the catch. When were the other 10 shoes dropping?! I think everyone's guards stayed up for a little while.

Maybe the biggest difference was that during those 5 years, I at 25, finally made it to the other side. I could hope it would work out favorably, but through some relationship ups and downs and some counceling, I finally got that their relationship wasn't mine. I had moved beyond mindlessly hoping they'd reconcile and found my feet planted in that peaceful place where you trust that things will work out exactly as they are supposed to.

So here it is 2006 and it appears all things come around again. The last real family vacation - pre-separation - was in 1997 at the shore. It was a lifetime ago. And somehow these two people got through their own mess, put some kids through school and busted out a big ol' wedding and thought hey, this is the year we'll go back to the shore...have a vacation again. We'll be decending on Avalon after the high season in mid September and barring any hurricanes, the temps and water should be fabulous. My Nana will likely join us and so will my Aunt Bobbie. It's sort of interesting...figuratively, there have been a series of deaths and rebirths in the last 10 years and it is comforting to see how people eventually take pieces of old traditions and past lives and refashion them to fit their lives in the here and now.