At Peace

When I was a kid, my family and I took yearly trips to the sequoias where we had family reunions. We all loved the rustic campground surrounded by huge sequoias. So, when my cousin Bettina invited us to meet at that same campground for another reunion, Adolfo and I jumped at the chance.

Like old times, my parents, my uncle Duane, and my cousins Bettina and Erik met us there. Unfortunately, my sister Cindy and my Aunt Glenda could not come.

This trip, though, was more than just a reunion. It was a memorial to my aunt Elaine who passed away in January. She had been disabled by MS and had been unable to walk for many years. Uncle Duane, busy caring for Aunt Elaine, had not been able to visit the sequoias, either. So this trip was dedicated to Elaine's memory. It also gave Duane a chance to visit the place they had both loved so much. It was a sad occasion for all of us, but a healing one, too.

Describing the sequoias, my cousin Erik wrote, "I find myself much more relaxed and quiet amongst them than I do anywhere else." The sequoias do have a calming effect. So, wherever you are Elaine, I hope you can finally rest in a place as peaceful as these sequoia groves.