Sometimes in our life, we need an unconditional surrender.

This weekend, my son, Jack and I had such a fun and relaxing time visiting my husband at an event he was doing in Sarasota.

We were staying at a hotel right across from the Unconditional Surrender sculpture.

The sculpture is a re-creation of a photo from Life magazine taken as the US broke out in celebration of Japan’s unconditional surrender.

Memories

I love this piece of art as it reminds me of my daddy who was in the Navy when he was in his early twenties.

He looked so handsome in his uniform!

Before Jack was born, our family spent a lot of time in Sarasota as my dad spent the winter months there to escape the sometimes bitter cold weather in Chicago.

I treasure those memories so much.

Jack and I spent hours riding bikes over the huge bridge to Bird Key.

Shocked that I had any breath left in me, we decided to keep riding through St. Armand’s circle with all the wonderful restaurants and shops.

I reminisced and told Jack stories about all our visits there over the years and reminded him when we passed the bench in St. Armand’s Circle that Papa, Natalia, and I sat on eating Ben and Jerry’s ice cream so many years ago.

We found an awesome bike trail along the beach and decided to stop and stick our feet in the water.

It was such a peaceful, fun weekend away.

Unexpected Tears

When Jack and I were heading home, I stopped at the gas station a few blocks away from the hotel to get gas.

As I was getting back in the car, I realized I was standing across the street from Sarasota Memorial Hospital where my dad spent three of his last months on earth.

I lost it. I mean, I really lost it. I could not stop crying.

Within seconds, so many memories flashed in front of me.

The many days I sat with daddy praying for his recovery, the day he only wanted my husband in his room as he thought the rest of us were conspiring to keep him in the hospital, the day he was put on a medical flight to be airlifted back to Chicago against my better judgement.

And then came all the thoughts of….sadness, anger, guilt.

I couldn’t understand why I came crashing down so fast.  I had been enjoying memories of dad all weekend.

Faithful Friends

My phone rang and it was a dear friend asking about my birthday plans the following week.

I didn’t say anything to her or to Jack about how I was feeling.

Slowly, her voice and laughter brought me back to my present life. A life where I have so much to be grateful for.

My friend filled my joy bucket enough to pull me out of the pit I had sunk into without even knowing it.

Friends are good at that sometimes.

I Needed To Surrender Unconditionally

Later that day, I told myself that I needed to revisit that time in my life.

Obviously, I had some unfinished healing to tend to.

Sometimes we bury our pain so deep that we forget that it’s there until we are reminded.

It’s then when we need to unconditionally surrender to the joy that comes from living in the present moment.

It’s important to remind ourselves of all the great memories and all the goodness in our lives right now.

Are there areas in your life where you need to unconditionally surrender?

 

I miss my daddy.

His laughter, his thick silver hair, his voice that sometimes sounded like he was a retired mafia man.

I think more than anything I wish Jack would have had the opportunity to meet his grandpa.

They would have been pals.

I know it.

 

Live light,

Lucia