Work hasn’t been great lately. Our industry is so volatile, my organisation even so. I should be used to it, I think I have adapted slightly over the past couple of years, but it doesn’t meant I dislike it any less.
That’s why this weekend of going to the Sister Act musical with none other than my sisters and nephew was a surprisingly healing event! The familiar story from one of my favourite teenage movies, the songs and the comical and light hearted movie was so comforting and fun!
Lunch and hanging out chatting with my sisters and exchanging our work woes was also lovely. I felt like we understood each other and felt bad for each other, I felt seen and supported by my sisters, something I haven’t felt for a little while due to the stress and after effects from the family holiday.
It reminded me that I’ve only ever watched musicals with my sisters and it was in fact my eldest sister that brought us to watch our dorsf musical in the famous West End in London. Mary Poppins I think it was. During another trip we also watched Mamma Mia together. My second sister then fell in love with musicals and her love for musicals was transferred to her son. I know that they watch lots of musicals together and it has become one of their favourite mother and son activities.
After the musical we talked about how we should go and watch a concert together and I searched my phone for upcoming concerts. To my surprise Cliff Richard is coming to Perth in November! I am praying that Hank Marvin his old time band guitarist will make a special appearance at the concert since he lives in Perth because we bought tickets to go! We’re bringing my ah pa and ah ma with us ☺️ and I’m sure we will have a great time.
Last week I met up with my ex boss and someone I now regard as my mentor. She told me about how difficult it has been with her mum who has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimers. Throughout our conversation, this formidable workaholic Iron Lady spoke positively about how she and her siblings have been planning for her mum, sorting out her finances, her estate planning. But I could hear regret in her tone, regret that whilst she has been so busy and successful at work, she never realised that her mum’s health was deteriorating and how she wished they had realised something was amiss sooner. She talked about how there are days when her mum is lucid and can hold a conversation reasonably well, but how sometimes she detracts and closes herself off because she can’t keep track of the conversation. And there was that dreadful morning when she had to activate the tracking app she put on her mum’s phone for the first time because she had just disappeared when she was last seen waiting for her daughter’s arrival at the front door. Thankfully they found her 2km away at the shops.
All this just made it starkly clear to me that I can’t wait any longer to make memories with my parents or shower them with the care and love that they deserve. I should cook my father’s favourite meals while I can and while he enjoys them, I should bring him to listen to his favourite music, I should have many brunches and coffees with ah ma and listen to her chatter about her friends. I want to buy and make my parents delicious meals, go for holidays with them. Everyday that I get to spend with my family, my sisters, my kids is a day earned and a day of blessing. That is something I will never ever take for granted.
daitaoha 