August of 2012 I received a call.  It was my Pops, a fairly impatient combat-vet in both WWII and Korea. He was 86 at the time and only recently retired as a litigation attorney since 1955, some 57 years.

Knowing of his last three heart surgery’s I felt my heart sink when I imagined what the call was about.

A father of seven one value he taught all of his children was the difference between  a vacation vs an evacuation. After seeing so many battles fields, hurricanes and tragedy’s throughout his life he wanted us kids to PREP.

“How quickly can you come to Florida, I would like the pleasure of seeing my grandson right-away!”

If Dad had a premonition of his own death he did not have to repeat himself twice.  Immediately, my son Rowan and I booked a flight to Florida (see pics 1-2) and we arrived to see both my parents and my brother.

But, instead of the scene of illness and desperation my Mom and brother had described to me, we saw something else. My father was suddenly up after two weeks of being stuck in his wheel chair and at the door. He took one look at my son. My son took one look at his grandpa and immediately they started a game of playing steal your cool blue striped hat (see pic 3). Then came a game of keep away, then tag.

Mind you, all this is in taking place in the hall way of an Assisted Living Center (see pic 4). One kid instantly and deliberately regressed from 86 to an 8 year old.  The other kid was deliberately 8 years old the entire time. That’s a 78 year old gap in time that did not seem to matter to either party! Next off to lunch, Pops put Rowan in the wheel chair. The one he hadn’t gotten out of for two weeks. And they were off absolutely racing down the hall (again see pic 4).

With impressive speed they covered 200 yards or more to the cafeteria. Once seated the ‘two inner 8 year olds began a sword fight with the cotton dinner napkins (pics 5-6). This was an actual miracle, a celebratory atmosphere complete with an actual escape from the nursing home (pic 11) to “Mineral Hot Springs” Fl. Then off (pic 12) to swim with dolphins in the Florida Keys for Rowan and I.

With a lot of play, and a lot of love I could see the PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) from Pop’s military experiences (something that stuck with him for 70 years or his entire adult life) was coming to an end in the last 10 days he was to spend with his grandson on earth.

When Rowan and I returned to California, we came to few major realizations, insights and deep emotions about what had taken place. We learned 3 lessons. When you have a wonderful travel experience you feel motivated to repeat it. At the very least, once a year… (cont.)