Stadig » Hiking Slideshows http://blog.stadig.org Reviews, Opinion, Musing, News and Happenings Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:59:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Lifes Chapters http://blog.stadig.org/2010/04/06/lifes-chapters/ http://blog.stadig.org/2010/04/06/lifes-chapters/#comments Tue, 06 Apr 2010 19:22:37 +0000 Glen Stadig http://blog.stadig.org/?p=546 This past Saturday my parents completed their journey of being together forever. I took advantage of the great weather afforded and marched up the summit of Mt Washington with my snowshoes, setting them free together at the upper end of Jacobs Ladder on the Cog Railway. In case you didn’t know Jacob’s Ladder is the ladder to heaven and also an extremely steep stretch of track on the mountain.

Back in the day when I was in my late teens my folks and I snowmobiled the Cog Railway on a bright day. Mom didn’t go to far but Dad and I, riding double rode the deep drifts up of fresh powder up to Jacobs Ladder where a monster drift impeded our way. Rather than take a foolish chance we turned around and had a beer at the halfway house, talked and admired the view.  I pressed to take a shot to the summit but Dad in his wisdom encouraged we didn’t ruin a great day with silliness and stupidity. It was always a great memory to me and one that stands out even today. Therefore last Saturday worked out to be the perfect day and perfect place for them to be set free together. On this day both of them reached further up the track than we managed that day years ago and being on Jacobs Ladder they surely have a step to heaven with one hell of a view.
I know with certainty they would approve and be happy with the decisions I have made. I know and I am personally relieved that everything came together as it had and I was afforded the health and the weather to be able to tribute them in such a way. It seems so surreal that they are gone and as with any loss there is a void that is left where you wish they were still here. For me, I am in a good place, I live my life in balance, I am confident, optimistic, and am loved by the most incredible wife, children, family and friends. I learned early on to remain level headed and treat people evenhandedly as you would be treated. All these things and so many more are thanks to my parents.

When my Dad became ill I it emphasized to me how we need to live our life and take advantage of the precious moments provided us. I came to realize how you need to make the effort to capture those times and take care of your health. Watching Mom and helping her after he was gone, I watched her suffer and never overcome the challenge of moving on. She couldn’t engage with people as she once did, she seemed to have lost her spark. I will live as I encouraged her to live, carrying their spark with me, honoring their lives with my life, and keeping my memories of them close at heart.  I was truly blessed by the chapters of Life my parents provided and shared. Although that chapter is done, I will carry them through all the future chapters of my life until we meet again in eternity.

YouTube Videos of My Hike… Each on is Ten Minutes (youtube limitation)

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