October Vacations

Where do you go on vacation? 
To the beach?  Some exotic city?

Every October for the past 5 years, my son and I have traveled to California to see Mom.  But the secondary reason we choose October is to help her with the tree trimming that needs to be done every year.

I live 800 miles from her.  Her four 20something grandsons live less than a mile away.  When my sister, or the grandsons take a vacation its Paris, Mexico, Spring Training in Arizona, or a Mountain retreat. 

While I'm using this to grouse (just a little bit), it's also to make a comparison.  When my vacation is over, I get the satisfaction of knowing I did something good for someone else; I made a difference in Mom's life by helping her out.  I sometimes wonder what my sister gets out of her vacations.  A week in Paris:  sure, there are great things to see.  But the photos and memories she talks about were spending a week with friends, going out to dinner and drinking great wine.  In my opinion, you can do all that from home, or a short drive from home. 

I'm not sure my nephews will understand the joy, the satisfaction one gets from doing something for someone else.  When my son was bold enough to ask why they weren't coming over to help it was "I don't live there."  FFS  It's their grandmother!  And she's done plenty for them over their lifetime. 

Even though my sister and I were raised by the same parents in the same house, we sure turned out different, and so did our kids. 

But I wouldn't trade places.  I'm happy knowing that I take the time to help Mom however she needs it.  It's not the money that she wants, it's our time.   We spent a total of about 10 hours out in the yard, working in the sunshine, sharing laughs and memories from over the years.  And I'm proud of my kids who feel the same way I do about helping others.  My son knocked off every chore on Mom's TO DO list!

While a week on a beach sounds good in theory, lounging around, having someone bring me drinks, reading good books, I wouldn't trade that for moments with my Mom.  She won't be around forever and as long as she's around, I'll be spending my October vacations with her!