“One day the house smells of fresh bread, the next of smoke & blood”

About a month ago, Lindsay & I headed out to Denver to visit her folks & to celebrate her father’s 85th birthday. We had the best time hanging out & it gave me another chance to spend time & get to know them. I also snuck in a chance to connect with her father & ask permission of him to marry his daughter ... permission granted with love & support. I could feel it brought him a lot of peace to know his daughter was in good hands. Upon giving me permission, her sweet father couldn’t help himself but to share his joy of what I had done in asking his permission to marry his baby.

Just 3 weeks later, her father & mother were having the best time on vacation in Mexico. He was in heaven, enjoying himself to the fullest, while spending time at his favorite place, the beach, splashing around in the water with a massive smile on his face that spanned ear to ear. I’d like to think that was where he decided to end his adventure on his terms at peace in his happy place. He died while playing in the water after likely suffering a heart attack.

Our next visit back to Denver was for his funeral. I got to meet many great people in her family, although due to unfortunate circumstances. Such is life.

I write all this from a lounge chair, pool side, on a long weekend together in Sedona, where we had planned to celebrate my 49th birthday (May 13th) before all this happened.

Even though Lindsay knew of my conversation with her father, she’s been in grief & basically had no clue I was going to propose to her. Luckily for both of us, I’m really good at playing dumb, which gave me the ability to hide my plans. She said yes.

Arthur Miller did say it best in the quote in my title. It’s no easy task to learn how to integrate & heal from grief & loss while in the next moment to celebrate the happiest of life’s occasions; and yet that’s exactly what we must do in order to celebrate life.