Dear Mom and Dad –
I received your voice mail yesterday regarding Christmas gift ideas. Yes, I know that it is your “Third Request” for this information. I am not ignoring you; I’m just struggling to come up with anything.
Rachel and I live blessed lives. We have an amazing daughter who keeps us on our toes, we live in a beautiful oceanside condo with a spectacular view and we have really good jobs, which provide us an opportunity to get what we need, when we need it. We try to live life well, but simply. Because of all of these realities (and as evidenced by your annual replacement of my underwear), I know I’m not the easiest guy to buy for each Christmas.
But, this morning it hit me.
I was reading my LinkedIn stream and I saw a link to the website, See Your Folks. It calculates how many remaining times you will see your parents in your life. This is based around country, life expectancy, age and the current average number of annual visits. When I put in the stats, I was flabbergasted. I shed a tear. The number staring back at me on the screen served as a stark reminder of the distance between New Jersey and Florida:
15
While logically, it makes sense; emotionally, it was devastating. Odds are that I’ll only see you 15 more times. Fifteen. Fif-teen. Fiiiiiif-teeeeeen. Ouch.
And, let’s face it. Mom, you’ve survived a liver transplant, a bowel resection, lung cancer among other bouts in and out of the hospital. And, I know that Pop’s LDS causes him more problems than he cares to admit. Heck, “Mr. Frosty” even complains about the cold now. I can’t even be certain that I’ll see you that many times!
This was an awesome year for family and friends visiting Florida! Kim, Jen and you guys all got here. I had the time of my life visiting with all of you. It was the most amazing feeling to see Brooklyn run to you guys. It was a highlight of my life.
For me, it’s really clear what I want for Christmas.
It’s not a thing I want for Christmas. It’s a feeling.
And, it’s a feeling that can only be felt by being with you, Mom and Dad. In person.
So, I want a commitment to see each other more than twice a year – on my part and on your part. Deal?
I can’t wait for Christmas!
With all our Love, Hugs and Kisses,
Jerry Jr. aka Mr. Sunshine, Rachel and Brooklyn
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