E haere ra, Pop pop!

Yesterday my father-in-law, Don, started the journey back to the US.  I think he is probably not quite home yet.  Despite the stories about “in-laws”, Don is great and having him with us for the whole month of July was not only good, it was poignant.  For as long as I have known my son he has been completely in love with his grandpa, Pop pop.  It was so, so good to have him here with us and Gabe.

 

He was our first visitor from home.  The first person we have been able to share all our new discoveries with.  We went to Staglands, Kaitoke and Turakirae.  We saw the Te Papa museum, the Wellington Botanical Gardens, Mt. Victoria and drove out to Breaker Bay where the ferry Wahine sank in 1968.  We drove out to Featherston and Whitby.  He took Gabe on the farthest road trip yet—all the way to Napier to see the Marine World and National Aquarium.

 

I can not believe how fast the time has gone.  I am sure Don loved the trip, but probably at the same time felt the tug to go home.  From my point of view, he could have stayed forever.  I hope now that he knows the way that more trips will become not so daunting.  I know, at first look, a trip of 10,000 miles looks like so much.  All those questions about airports, flights, security, passports and exactly “what is a 12 hour plane ride like” are now answered.  The quantity of effort is now understood.  I bet Don would say it was all worth the trip.

 

While we were excited to show him New Zealand, the best part was just the quiet--or the goofy and very not quiet--play time with Pop pop.  We have made a great many friends here, but it has been a great gift to have family here.  I knew, after my trip home in June, that seeing family again is made more joyous with the knowledge that this time is special and finite.  What is less obvious is that even time spent living close is finite.  Our distance now makes this reality obvious.  It forces us to take advantage of the time given to us.  I knew that when the time came for the visit to end that we would all be sad to see him go.  I try to remember that while we don’t know exactly when we’ll be together again, that we will see each other again soon--perhaps not as soon as we would like.  But still soon.

 

Time goes by.  The Universe teaches us that things are always changing—that often the question is not “if” but rather “when”.  Our human ability to predict future outcomes makes us uncomfortable when we are left with uncertainties like “someday.”  But impassable mountains have a way of becoming merely mountains over time and tenacity.  Don crossed the mountains, the deserts, and the ocean.  I have faith that the way home will often present itself.  Exactly when and how I can not say, but we will be watching for opportune moments.

 

Thanks, Don, for making the trip.  I can not quite say how much it meant to all of us.  Tell everyone how great it was and send them our way.  In Maori you say goodbye with “E haere rā” when you are the ones staying.  You say, “E noho rā” when you are the one leaving.

 

E haere rā, Pop pop!