PC #107 – Family “reunion” – Drive up

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I drove 760kms today.

Through to Stanthorpe to meet up with my mother, who’s 86, and my brother, whom I’m very close to. The rest of the family comes in tomorrow.

Jennifer and I talked during the drive about pilgrimages. I told her that I walked around about the same distance as we were driving today. That disappointed her. She wanted to think that I walked further than 8 hrs drive!

I pointed out that we could do a pilgrimage in Australia – to Uluru, or Ayer’s Rock. It’s a very famous landmark – a deeply spiritual place for the aboriginal people. Although we’ve been to many religious and spiritual places around the world, we’ve never been to our own spiritual centre.

This is the only time in the year when I get to see all my family together – not even at Christmas do we all get together. So I guess this is our equivalent of Thanksgiving, without the thanksgiving, if you know what I mean.

My mother isn’t going to be around much longer. Each time I see her I wonder if it will be the last. And so around her, I’m always on my best behaviour!

Here are a couple of shots on the way up –

Fish & Chips Tourist Hotel 2 Cheap Wedding formal

 

32 thoughts on “PC #107 – Family “reunion” – Drive up”

  1. Its funny that you mention the distance, Bill. In a couple of weeks I’m off to New York City for our fall retreat. We go to the old Hamilton estate, which was willed to the Sister Servants of Mary, whose ministry is hospitality. It a wonderful old stone manor house, gently haunted on the third floor where the Sisters of my Order stay. Over the years my room there has become a real home away from home. We leave Westport at 5:30 am and get there around 2:30 -and I realised the other day its 800 km, almost exactly. That puts a mind boggling tilt on the Frances -the same distance as if I walk from my house to
    New York City!! Its humbling -and increases

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    • My respect for every pilgrim that has walked it. And for those who can even do it in stages! Makes me think of our Abbey, slogging along with the pain of a badly torn calf muscle, and some of our pilgrims who walked with broken bones. The human.spirit is a formidable thing!

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  3. Bill,

    Family reunions are the very best of times. 🙂

    I wish I lived closer to my family, the distance I must travel is 2500 miles/4023 kms to the east coast where the entire clan resides. I wonder how long that would take to walk.

    Arlene

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    • Haha – that’s a long way to walk Arlene –

      But don’t you all get together for Thanksgiving? Isn’t that the time in the US when families come together? (I’ve seen all these movies!)

      Bill

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      • Thanksgiving is romanticized as being a big family holiday thing here in the States. But for my kids and their fams, not so.
        I will stop off after my Camino to visit with my immediate family for a couple of days. I especially miss the love of the grands.

        Arlene

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  4. We have family coming from all over the country to our son’s wedding in a week. We are both from families of 6. With the parents, siblings, nieces and nephews from just our families alone there are about 50.The bride wanted a small wedding–she is marrying into a big family. SO there will be a small group at the vows and then a large celebration. It is always difficult to interact with everyone at these kind if events, luckily Mike’ family will stay on a few days and continue the fun. It is hard to get everyone together. I am hoping Bill that everyone is like you and is on their best behavior, at the celebration at least!

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  5. In a few hours I’m on my way to my Aunt Edie’s funeral where like you I will see a large number of my family members on the other side, meaning no one else from my immediate family will be there. It’s sad because the one person who should be there is my 92 year old Mother, who is suffering from Alzeheimers and doesn’t know that the last member of her family of origin has died. The rest if the family lives on the East. Coast and werent abke to travel at this time. So, it will be with a sad heart that I say goodbye to my Aunt-Mother on her 90th birthday. I trust that your reunion will be with full hearts, lots if laughter and smiles. As you said enjoy it for you never know if it will be the last time you will see her alive.

    XOXO

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    • Jill,

      This is the day to celebrate Aunt Edie’s glorious life and the love, light and joy she brought to your life.

      My prayers are with you and Aunt Edie today.

      Love,
      Arlene

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      • Dear Arlene,

        Thank you so much for your beautiful words I really appreciate them. I don’t know why it didn’t dawn on me but I’ve actually been grieving over the last week without knowing it. Kind of been in a funk and have been very quiet. Makes sense but I swear I was the last to know it!!

        Please have a wonderful, beautiful, safe and happy time. I will be following your blog and your long awaited journey.

        Bye for now,

        XOXO.

        Jill

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        • Hi Jill,

          I want to do something on grieving, because it can really blindside you without you knowing.

          The funeral today will provide some release – but I will write a separate blog on it, because it’s worth discussing.

          Love and hugs mate, Bill

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    • Jill, I am so sorry for your loss! It is so hard to give up people we love!! Let you memories of your Aunt Edie be what gets you thru this sad time!
      Debbie

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      • Debbie,
        Thank you so much for your sweet words. The services have ended and the tears have subsided for the moment. Life will be a bit lonelier without her lively presence but her spirit will live on forever! Xoxo

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    • Jill, I am sure you will have a lot to be grateful for as you say thank you to your precious Aunt Edie. Her birthday is a special day for her farewell as the cycle of life will be complete and difficult as it will be, rejoice in 90 years well lived. She will always be with you.

      Prayers and blessings ( extras in SdC)
      Anne

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      • Thank you very much Anne,
        Yes, it’s true, Aunt Edie will live on in us all for a long time to come. I’m so glad that I had her in the very beginning of my life and then again at her end!! Symmetry is perfect.

        XOXO

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    • Dear Jill
      It is so hard to say goodbye to a special person in your life. I am praying that you will find some comfort in sharing good memories with other family members.
      Elizabeth

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      • Hi Elizabeth,
        It was a sweet reunion. I met a second cousin that I hadn’t see since I was 6! How fun is that!! Thank you for your good wishes and concern

        Xoxo

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      • I love that Bill , thank you so much! It has been a good day with lots of deep feelings on so many levels. I reached out to you and my community in a time of need. That is a first for me. I’m usually the stoic helper. Thank you all for caring so much.

        Much love,

        Jill

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  6. Hi Jill – I hope that you were able to get through the funeral without being too distressed and that the funeral was a wonderful celebration of her life.
    I’ll light a candle for her at Mass tonight and send special best wishes for you and your extended family when I light the candle.
    ‘Thinking of you and your precious Aunt – Jenny

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    • Hi Jenny,
      How sweet of you. Thank you for that. I had the opportunity to attend a happy hour on my return from Aunt Edie’s funeral and many glasses were raised In her honor. It was very special to me as my Aunt really enjoyed a good party and I’m sure loved all the blessings coming her way yesterday. Your kindness is appreciated. Thank you.

      XOXO

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      • Hi Jill –
        It was my pleasure and privilege to light the candle. I’m so happy to hear that you, your family and friends were able to have a toast to your dear Aunt Edie and to relax a little after the sadness of the funeral.
        I had a choice of lighting the candle in either a red, clear or blue holder at Mass – I chose ‘red for love’, in honour of your precious loved-one.
        Jenny xo

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  7. Hello Bill
    I think you would love a pilgimage to Uluru. It’s a wonderful place with real spiritual resonance. I was there briefly about 7 years ago, and wished we had arranged to stay longer. I really wanted – but didn’t have time – to walk around the rock, about 6km. Not up it. (For those of you who don’t know, the option is there to walk up it, but the local Aboriginal people ask that you don’t, and to respect the spiritual importance Uluru has for them. In fact given how deeply the Aboriginal people feel about it, I’m amazed that the option to walk up is still there, and that people still do it. It says something to me about how gracious the local people are. And sadly, how crass some other people can be, to ignore their wishes like that.)

    Go to Uluru, Bill. To me it is the heart of Australia both geographically and spiritually.
    Regards
    Elizabeth

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    • So true Elizabeth – husband Steve and I were there almost 20 years ago and we both found the energy of Uluru so powerful – also Kata Tjuta – it was a privilege to be there.
      Best regs – Jenny

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    • Hi Elizabeth,

      Thank you. You’re right, I have to go there.

      I have been to so many other religious and spiritual sites around the world, and I have to go to Uluru.

      I’ve travelled extensively around Australia – been most everywhere, including Alice Springs many times – but never out to Uluru.

      Bill

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      • Bill, be sure to put Uluru and Kata Tjuta on your list. They are both amazing and deeply spiritual places. Kata Tjuta affected me more – I sat in the Valley of the Winds and wept.
        A few years ago I was fortunate to be invited to spend some time on the sacred land of the Ngaanyatjarra people – about 12 hours west of Uluru. This place also affected me greatly and gave a deeper insight into the land, the Spirit and the rich culture or our first Australians. Permanently etched in my heart.
        Blessings
        Anne

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        • Hi Anne –

          A couple of years ago I went up to Arnhem Land and spent about a week with some aboriginal people on a community about 4 hrs drive south of Nhulunbuy.

          I slept on the beach with them – got chased by a crocodile in the middle of the night – spoke at length to a woman elder about their local myths and legends and spirit world.

          It was an incredible time.

          I’m working on a movie about an aboriginal woman who is wrongly accused of murder. The trip up to Arnhem Land was research.

          So a trip out to the Red Centre is on the cards now too!!

          thank you Bill

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