Yesterday was a wonderful relaxed day for us as a family. No plans. No obligations. Just a day for us to be together and enjoy our time as a family with no demands.
We drove into the little town of Jeffersonville and had the most wonderful breakfast at a trendy little restaurant called, The Mix. Highly recommend it to anyone visiting Smugglers Notch or Stowe. The food, ambiance and service were superb. Everything was freshly prepared and we were having a lively conversation about Vermont and life in general. I felt so happy and blessed to be with my family in such a relaxed setting.
Within minutes the mood changed when my husband started to feel off. He said his vision was blurred. His hands were clammy. And he said he just did not feel right. He felt off. I was worried but did not want to show it in front of our children. He got up from the table to go to the bathroom to try to shake how he felt.
I watched his retreating back and realised without a doubt that I did not want to lose my husband. I realised just how much I love and rely on him. I realised just how much stability he provides to our household. I began to feel ill myself at the thought of something happening to him. I worried about how we would get back to Bermuda from Smugglers Notch because my husband had driven us here from Burlington and it was about an hour’s drive. Though I had lived in the US many years ago, I have lost my nerve to drive here so I panicked about how I would get my family back if something happened.
I questioned why he would get sick just when we were relaxing as a family together, putting all reality aside for our escape in this picturesque and peaceful place. I prayed silently that he would be okay. I counted the seconds which felt like hours before he emerged from the bathroom, all while engaging my children in conversation, not letting them see my panic.
I watched my husband as he walked back to the table and I could see he was still not quite himself but quickly pushed aside his illness to immerse himself back into our family life. I breathed a sigh of relief as I realised he was going to be okay. My spirits lifted and our conversation took on a more relaxed tone.
We left the restaurant with full bellies and still no plans for the day. We drove onto the Main Street of Jeffersonville parked the car then walked down the street to a river. The air was crisp and clean. The temperature a cool 44 degrees. The streets quiet except for us. I looked at my husband and the colour had come back to his cheeks. I looked at my children racing along the path. My daughter finding a horse in a yard drawing us all to say hello. My son wishing he had brought his longboard because the streets were perfect for him to board. I looked at my perfect family and the beautiful setting we were in and said a silent prayer that we would all be all right and gave thanks for allowing us this precious time together.
I looped my arm through my husband's. My daughter came running up beside my husband and looped her arm through his other side yelling to her brother, "Come on and join the family."
My heart skipped a beat. My body filled with love and pride as I felt a joy rising in me knowing we were all all right. The storm had passed and my family was again one as I looked up into my husband's eyes and knew he was good which meant we were all good.
I am truly grateful for being reminded that we should not take for granted the blessings and abundance we have in our everyday lives because they can change in an instant as my husband’s illness yesterday showed me. And for this lesson I am truly grateful.
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