Making the Most of Trying Times, and a Special Birthday
June 4th would’ve been my dad’s 87th birthday. I say “would’ve” because at age 46, he died of a pericardium heart attack. Meaning, fluid invaded and suffocated the membrane that held his heart. I was 13 when he died.
But June 4 wasn’t only my dad’s birthday. My two best high school girlfriends, Charlie and Sydney’s dads also had a June 4th birthday. Crazy, isn’t it? Then there’s my other bestie, Mallory, whose birthday is June 5th. That’s why we decided last Fall that June 4th-7th, 2020 would be appropriate for our 2nd annual girls weekend in Lake Tahoe, California. We had the vacation home all set, thanks to Sydney’s husband, and then... the world stopped. COVID-19 blanketed everything and annihilated the good and the bad, but in our case, our girls weekend.
I pride myself on being a quick thinker. A “quick to-react-or”. A motivator. An always-in-motion gal. So when the coronavirus crippled us, I looked for ways to let the light shine in. Amongst the many strategic efforts I made during this pandemic, the one that will last a very long time is our Thursday Zoom happy hour. As fate would have it, this past Thursday’s Zoom hour just happened to be on June 4th! Not only was it our dads’ birthdays, but it was also the day we were all supposed to be on a plane to Tahoe for our weekend together.
On our Zoom call, each of us had an empty space in our hearts wanting to be filled by one another. The motivator, the quick thinker, the quick reactor to the rescue! I immediately said, “Well, everything for a reason. Our postponement only makes next year that much sweeter.” I don’t know if it helped, but it sure sounded good.
In retrospect, I’m disappointed that I haven’t suggested Zooming all along. I have many friends who live in other states and we don’t get to see each other often. It’s important to stay connected in happy times and in trying times as well. For me, I also feel it is important to be able to see one another. I really love that aspect of Zoom. I also rely on a video chat app called Marco Polo to connect with my friends. Being deaf in one ear, video chat is my preferred way of communication (if I can't be there in person, of course). I like hearing the sound come out of the mouth, piecing it together by reading lips, and watching facial expressions. I get so much more out of that than just a phone call.
Next year, June 4th falls on a Friday. It is my hope that we will be living in a redesigned, positive, healthier world by then. If not, we will also have the next two following years because June 4th will fall on Saturday and Sunday respectively. With a little patience, Sydney, Mallory, Charlie and I will find time to once again share our love together on our annual girls weekend.
Happy Birthday Dad!
I love that you were with me today. See you tomorrow!
XO
Lisa A.K.A. Loopie