The things you remember

[morvelaira]

I hate to be a downer at all, but in addition to the start of my vacation, today is the second anniversary of my father's death. This trip was conceived with the thought of getting away from all that, and learning to enjoy myself again. But as I was on my flight, watching the wing of the plane as I always do, the significance of the day hit me hard.

Watching the wing is something I always do on flights because it's something my father always did. He always looked at the wings because he wanted to be sure the airlines were taking care of /his/ airplanes correctly. You see, my father was an aerospace engineer with Boeing for over twenty years, and other firms before that. While he was most proud of his work in "future projects" at the end of his career, he spent the bulk of his time with the wings. Specifically with the automated tooling machines and proceedures used to make the wings.

As these thoughts filtered through my mind as I tried to avoid crying, suddenly it was all ok. The BTW community - the real community - has become a new family for me as my old one has been left in shambles. And really, as the daughter of a man who brought great strides and breakthroughs to automation in his field, it just makes sense, now doesn't it?

[obl1terat1ion]

Wow morve thats me. on the 8th its the second for me. I wish you the best of luck during this time.

[rhacer]

Laira, I wish you the best as you deal with those memories. The anniversary of my father's death is Sunday. I approach it with mixed emotions as I had a tortured relationship with my father. It sounds like you had a good relationship which makes the loss more painful.

Best of memories to you as you work through all the emotions that are bound to come up.

timothy.

[DaveYanakov]

I'm glad you've found a source of comfort to help through the rough spots. Anything you need that we can provide, let us know.

[TheHoboHunted]

I'm glad you've found a source of comfort to help through the rough spots. Anything you need that we can provide, let us know.

Couldn't have said it any better. =D

[morvelaira]

I'm glad you've found a source of comfort to help through the rough spots. Anything you need that we can provide, let us know.

Couldn't have said it any better. =D

You guys already have by just being here in the first place.

[Zhil]

Have a comfort hug, you deserve it :)

We all love you very much

[FlowerChild]

<hugs>

[MoRmEnGiL]

Yeah, looks like we're one big family here.

Memories are both a blessing and a curse. The trick is to treasure what your parents gave you, and wear it proudly. It is, after all who YOU are.

You have our hugs for the rough moments, but be careful of certain spiky people :P

[kregoth]

Gives morvelaira a hug! I'll try to remember bringing a hand basket with me and put you inside it wherever I go! Just so I can take with me to show you all the cool things I might find :)

[Itamarcu]

<Squee-forcing hug>

[Sarudak]

The death of someone close to you is often something that is remembered above all else. I had a very close friend of mine commit suicide not that long ago and it is odd the things that will bring up memories of him and often it will interrupt and displace whatever else I might have been thinking about.

[morvelaira]

You have our hugs for the rough moments, but be careful of certain spiky people :P

I would like to think spikes would be retracted for intentional hugs. Either that or that I'm small enough to slip ast them.

Kregoth, as adorable as that would be, I'm not sure you have heard the original phrase I'm playing off of there. Ever heard, "Going to hell in a handbasket?" ;)

*squees from hugs*

After a good, but exhausting day running around Los Angeles combined with waking up at a certain happy place where men in corporate suits worship a certain mouse, I'm feeling much better. And after all the love from here, of course.

[kregoth]

Kregoth, as adorable as that would be, I'm not sure you have heard the original phrase I'm playing off of there. Ever heard, "Going to hell in a handbasket?" ;)

OMG how did I not see that? I think I will refrain from taking you to hell with me, but I'll still share cool things I find :)

[morvelaira]

When come back, bring glowstone.

[SterlingRed]

I fortunately hopefully won't have to loose a parent for a good while yet, but I've seen several friends go through it and I feel for you. Sounds like he was an incredible man and a dad to be proud of. Smile at the good memories he left you. Hugs.

[morvelaira]

I again hate to be a downer, SterlingRed, but if there's one thing I can pass on to you, it's to make sure you make the most of you time with your folks, even if you shouldn't have to lose one for a while. My dad was only 51 when he passed - not that old at all. You never know.

[kregoth]

I again hate to be a downer, SterlingRed, but if there's one thing I can pass on to you, it's to make sure you make the most of you time with your folks, even if you shouldn't have to lose one for a while. My dad was only 51 when he passed - not that old at all. You never know.

I can say this is absolutely the truth, and should be fully advised! And that's simply because of what's below.

My mother is a grandmaul Epileptic, and although she hadn't had an incident sense she was 14, she did have one the day AFTER Christmas. It's was the second worse fear I had of watching my mother suffer and unable to do anything to help. That's because the first was due to my near fatal car accident 2 years ago. My car had lost control and it happened right around a rather sharp turn, I ended up going 45MPH straight through a ditch that ended with a culvert. My car flipped head over ass 3 times before it stopped, and sadly I have no memory of any of it other then waking up in the hospital.

When I woke up my entire family was standing over me explaining the events as the police had told them, do to the severity of the break in my neck and back they had to Heliivack me to Harbor View "You in major shit if you go there living in Washington" The worst part wasnt the pain nor the fear that I was nearly considered a parapalegic "I am healthy other than random pain" No you see the stress of the incident was SO severe that my mother had collapsed at the hospital, luckilythe knew what it was (some medical name I can't spell) but extremely similar to Broken Heart Syndrome" She was on her death bead, and I was unable to see here because I myself was bed riden.

So yes, you NEVER know when something even worse then what I described could happen.

I rarely tell this story, but oddly it feels good to share it, even if it's with strangers... I really hope I don't look like I am stepping over Morv's OP, but I rather have a single sad topic then 2 :)

[rhacer]

kregoth, I'm glad you survived the accident and that your mom survived almost losing you. I can't echo enough the sentiment that says "make what you can of the time you have."

[kregoth]

kregoth, I'm glad you survived the accident and that your mom survived almost losing you. I can't echo enough the sentiment that says "make what you can of the time you have."

Thanks, it's the reason as to why I posted it. Those two moments in my life drastically changed how I viewed that very thought. To mirror Morv's OP, I RARELY tell this story to anyone, but this community for some reason garners a decent amount of trust for me, So sharing something like this is actually quiet nice.

Grr I think it's time for me to have a drink and loosen up a bit, back to an inordinate amount of smart ass remarks and puns :P

[morvelaira]

This community garners trust because FC, with his banhammer of DOOM (because everything is cooler when of doom) keeps us safe, and because we share things like this.

[kregoth]

This community garners trust because FC, with his banhammer of DOOM (because everything is cooler when of doom) keeps us safe, and because we share things like this.

I agree, I think it completely reasonable to assume that FC has custom made a giant banhammer button on his desk :)

[morvelaira]

This community garners trust because FC, with his banhammer of DOOM (because everything is cooler when of doom) keeps us safe, and because we share things like this.

I agree, I think it completely reasonable to assume that FC has custom made a giant banhammer button on his desk :)

If he doesn't, we should all chip in for one!

[kregoth]

This community garners trust because FC, with his banhammer of DOOM (because everything is cooler when of doom) keeps us safe, and because we share things like this.

I agree, I think it completely reasonable to assume that FC has custom made a giant banhammer button on his desk :)

If he doesn't, we should all chip in for one!

I say a refurbished GG button would work perfectly, so every time he bans someone it would praise him by saying "GG" :P

[SterlingRed]

I again hate to be a downer, SterlingRed, but if there's one thing I can pass on to you, it's to make sure you make the most of you time with your folks, even if you shouldn't have to lose one for a while. My dad was only 51 when he passed - not that old at all. You never know.

My dads a few years older than that currently. But no worries, I do spend as much time as I can with them and I don't take it for granted. It's funny you don't realize how right or significant parents are until you are an adult and out of their house. Work and gf keep me busy but I manage to see them at least once or twice a month. Which is a major improvement over seeing them once a semester while I was in school.