The peach tree

 

This week I was able to get back into the swing of dad and I's routine. We had lunch at Perkin's. Same time, same food choices, and the same conversational chit chat. There are times where I think I should come up with something to ask dad about or talk about something meaningful. But then I realize that I don't have to make our lunch dates into something they are not. That I just need to let it be and roll with it. And most times, it works itself out. And today's lunch proved that.


After our routine check in, discussion about the weather, update on the boys and their activities, and the "worries" of the week (this week, my dad is convinced that my mom and he are moving and he needs to make sure my brother and I have all of his treasures), my dad said something that made me go back in time. He told me he was going to go home and water the peach tree.


I was born in Michigan and we lived there until I was almost 6 years old. In the backyard next to the swing set my dad made me was a peach tree. This peach tree grew the best peaches I have ever had in my life. I remember swinging on that swing watching my dad mow the yard, darting in and around that massive tree (it looked massive to me at the time).


I remember the smell. Once the peaches were ripe, you could smell the peaches from a mile away. To this day, the smell of fresh peaches (not the canned ones) is my favorite scent. In high school I always used the peach scented bath and body works lotion because it reminded me of this peach tree. I love anything peach, the color, the smell, and the taste.


I remember the big barrel looking ice cream maker my dad and mom would make vanilla ice cream in. I loved watching it churn the cream into this creamy concoction but what was even better was when my mom cut up fresh peaches from our tree and stirred the bits throughout the ice cream. I have only found one other place that serves ice cream that comes close to that taste and it is only seasonal. You better believe that I frequent that establishment as much as I can when in season.


Reminiscing about that peach tree made me smile. It also reminded me that I have been blessed with so many memories from my childhood. (Silver lining). And on days where I am angry, it helps to remember this quote by Charles Dickens, "Reflect upon your present blessings-of which every man has many-not on your misfortunes, of which all men have some."


I find there to be many days that I am angry. I don't like that this is the way my parents are going to spend the rest of their time together on earth. I am angry that life for my family will never be the same. I am angry that this has happened to my dad. But I still have my dad. I still get to see his kind eyes and his smile that lights up his face. I still get to have moments with my dad which means I can still make memories. And even when dad is gone, there will still be blessings as I have so many memories. My memories outnumber my misfortunes by a landslide.