The kids got sick this past weekend—real sick, and my poor wife was alone with them.
I was on the road heading through the snowy mountain pass to the Oregon coast when I got a text that read, “Don’t stay long. Sid and Oona are throwing up.”
“What?” I replied. Tension began to build in me. I looked over at Rick who also has two kids that were recently sick.
“Yes.” She replied.
I was stuck. Rick was driving and we were over an hour away. There was nothing I could do. Helpless, knowing they are all suffering at once; at that moment I had to turn around. Rick, who was driving, was ready for the giant U Turn, but my wife said, “no”.
Wow, a sacrifice to love and family. She’s home, both kids puking, she’s feeling queasy and I get to go have a good time. Not possible. If it were just me, no question I would have been home-it wasn’t, and Rick was hurting for a surf. Liz knew, as she most often does, that we have to take care of ourselves as well as our family. She also knows that there are some things you just can’t shake off.
When I finally walked through the door I felt complete knowing I could take care of everyone; but Liz, the supermom and superwife, was doing just fine without me.
I needed them, needed to know that everyone was OK, more than they needed me. Is that what family feels like? To me it does.
What about your stories or comments about the importance of family in your life?
Thanks to My Silly Monkeys for the image.
