***If you're reading this, it is officially May 21st, 2011. The four year angel-versary of my love. I'm writing this a week in advance, and hopefully have succeeded in doing my fourth skydive jump on the 20th (If I don't blog next week, I'll tell all your loves "hello" ;D ). This has become an annual event for the military widows of our organization and I know there company will ease the sharp bite of the last day my soul mate graced this earth with his life. Thank you all for continuing to read the blog and taking this journey with me. And with no further ado....the blog I posted after last year's jump and angel-versary.......***
5/21/10
As noted last weekend, the 21st marked 3 years since my hero's death, but tradition continues of being around amazing widows leading up to or after the date.
This past week we were in Fayetteville, NC for our annual golf tournament for the organization, followed by our annual AWP Skydive!
Like all of our events, we have a definite melting pot of women at all different places in their journey. We spent time racing around in golf carts, talking till 4 in the morning, and lastly, suiting up to jump 13,500 feet out of a perfectly good plane for my 3rd year in a row.
During all of the festivities, I have to say that I have never laughed so hard in the 3 years since Michael's passing. Not just laughing, not even snorting laughter (which I'm known for), but hurled over holding my belly laughter.
Each year that I can make on notch on the widowhood belt, I'm left amazed at all that my fellow widows do for me in the continual process of healing a heart that has gone through the most devastating of losses.
As the trip came to a close, sleep deprived, in need of a shower or two, and smeared eyeliner accompanying the proud bags underneath my eyes, I looked in the mirror to see a noticeable change after my three, not long enough, days.
Not just a brighter sparkle in my eyes, but even more evident, very well defined smile lines on each side of my mouth. Two lines that we're a parenthesis to the grin that never left my face during my time with them. Lines that I proudly wear and look forward to deepening as the year's pass with my fellow widows, who help me make the stories that form the evidence of a life well lived.
Taryn,
ReplyDeleteWow! if that is you in the picture with this post, may I someday feel that kind of happiness again. I so love knowing that the possibility is there. To have the kind of laughter and to feel that a changing face in this way is evidence of a well lived life. Bravo! My husband died at 56. I know getting older can be a gift. More time to connect, to love, to have positive impact on the lives of others.
Your picture exudes life, beauty, happiness. How wonderful to know that you have found that. so happy for you.
Thank you so much for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteTaryn,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this. You are an amazing woman. I wish you had been around 10 years ago. Thank you for all you do for everyone and for bringing attention to American Widows.