Going Deep into Virginia for a Memorial Service

As if I needed any additional reasons to love my boss, when I told him I needed a day off to travel into Virginia for my half sibling's mother's memorial service and scattering of ashes, he immediately said "Of course. Family first." Family first, indeed.

Decades ago, both of my parents divorced their first spouses. My dad's ex wife moved my older sister and brother to Texas from Chicago. My mom says that my dad cried many a night because he missed his kids so much. My dad was such a softie. My parents later married and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. As a child, I just knew that my dad hated every single Texas sports team, without fail. I wasn't exactly briefed on the particulars.

I didn't really get to know my older sister and brother (technically half brother and sister, though I never call them that) until I was older. By then they had families and lives in different states, but they were always great to me, despite all they had to do. Over the past few years as our dad died, we saw each other more. I came to really depend on their good natures as things were tough, they made me smile where I otherwise would've cried.

The day after the year anniversary of dad's death, my older brother and sister's mother died. There were four sisters in her family, one died many years ago of cancer. She had her ashes spread near her childhood home, deep in Virginia near the Appalachian Trail (and probably the Smokies too). This is where my siblings' mom wanted her ashes spread. So, despite what happened in the past, my siblings invited me to meet them down there for the memorial, so that we could see each other. I am going. In some way, I think it will help in my grief process for my dad.