I can empathize. First with the 'last time I'll see my parent' and now for seeing anyone. I was a fairly intrepid traveler until a fall on cobblestones in Lisbon resulted in some issues with walking (no breaks, but deep bone bruise which seems to have opened up intermittent pain in hip and thigh) and then came Covid, during which I turned 71. I haven't flown since then and will be making a trip to NYC at 76. Business class would be great but my friend is purchasing the ticket. I'll try to be optimistic and see how it all goes. It's another 'may be the last time' for me now that I am this age, and some of my friends are there or not far behind.
Hi Shellie, I'm so sorry to hear about your fall with deep bone bruises, and it makes me wonder if you have used comfrey for healing. My sister had a near fatal car accident with more than 20 bone breaks, and she swears by comfrey for deep bone bruise healing.
And one note regarding business class tickets - even if someone else purchases the ticket, you can upgrade them with frequent flyer miles if you have them (cash works too😁).
Good luck and many blessings for your travels♥️🙏🕊️
Thank you...I was wondering about upgrading myself. Also, the bruising was in 2017. I was in Portugal for 10 days, using essential oils and ice. Then I was in England and a friend had a homeopathic cream from Germany which might have had comfrey. I used Traumeel also here. But I will keep Comfrey in mind if I have one of the pain episodes. Thanks again!
I really enjoyed this piece, Camilla. Your admission of how you sometimes get overcome with emotion even when there is nothing seemingly dire going on — was incredibly relatable. I think at times this happens to everyone, it certainly happens to me at least. And I’ve often found myself wondering afterwards why I got so caught up in it. It’s a weird thing.
Also, I absolutely loved this line — “when she tried to remember the word upatakh, she instead called my sister an "ink pot."” — it made me chuckle. :)
Hi Michael, thanks for your comment, and yeah, it felt so good to write about it. Cathartic and even liberating. I get the sense that by writing about this kind of experience, we're strengthening that muscle of the *observing awareness* which helps me to not be *identified* with the emotion. Then I can simply observe the emotion arise and pass within 90 seconds like the neuroanatomist, Jill Bolte Taylor, describes in My Stroke of Insight, and in her Ted Talk. To not be identified with an emotion and not cling to it, nor have aversion from it (as our Buddhist monk friends teach) gives me so much freedom and spaciousness. I love it🥰 I get to come back to equanimity😁
And you know the other fun thing - I didn't make the connection until Beth Kempton commented about "ink pot" that there is a lovely synchronicity here - the class I'm doing with Beth at the moment (that is fantastic) is called Ink and Flame♥️🙏🕊️
That is actually such a wonderful point, Camilla. I love the idea that writing about these sorts of experiences we strengthen our ability to observe our emotions without attachment. Writing really does just keep giving and giving.
And ohh no way! What a wonderful synchronicity! :)
‘Ink pot’ ❤️ May your time together be precious. It must be hard to live so far away. It’s a blessing that you have the means to travel to see your mother often Xx
I love this synchronicity Beth - I just finished listening to the Friday class and looked on my iPhone to see what time it is in London - here in Bulahdelah it's 5:30pm, and it says it's 6:30am in London. Good morning☀️ and thank you so much for reading and commenting. And yes, it truly is a blessing that I'm able to have this time with Mum♥️🙏🕊️
and I actually didn't make the connection between Ink & Flame and Ink pot, until you wrote that🥰
Hi Camilla, I enjoyed listening to this, so thank you for reading. Yes, where does all that emotion come from? Memories stored in our bodies -maybe - our vulnerability? I can only imagine the anxiety of the mere distance you need to travel in an event of urgency. I got a tickle out of arriving in Boston before you left Sydney 😄. Time is an illusion 🤣. The only business class flight l ever had was a university paid flight from Melbourne to KL, part of a 4 flight trip to Northern Sweden 🤦♀️. Glad you got to visit your Mum and sister 💜🙏😊
Hi Stephanie, thank you for your kind words. And yes it still is sweet and cozy, and simultaneously fun and outrageous. My mother has a passion for being controversial and provocative (and yes, perhaps this is where I inherited it from😉) I have one more week here🥰 and I feel it's a privilege to spend time with her at this stage of her life♥️🙏🕊️
Time with loved ones are the most valuable, beautiful moments of all. We all intuitively know that our time together is fleeting… and precious and sometimes we feel it so strongly that it’s overwhelming indeed.
Thank you for sharing the story of your journey home. It’s beautiful.
Camilla, thank you from my heart for your story. I'm in my late 70s and I travel a lot. Often out of the country. I am realizing how vital it is for me to take care of myself by flying business or premium. My son tells me, 'mom, take care of your health now otherwise you'll be spending lots of money taking care of your illnesses.' I also have found I'm more anxious about finding information and feeling a bit disoriented and in all of this I have been shown great kindness, especially by young men who help me with my luggage, or navigating a crowded bus or train. As an elder I don't feel invisible, I most often feel valued and respected. My father died quite suddenly while I was on a trip. What I have left is the gift of his last words to me. 'be careful and travel safe.'
Ingrid, what a beautiful comment to read. It makes my heart happy to hear my words connected with your heart. Good for you for traveling a lot in your late 70s! Aging bodies aren't always easy to manage. And I agree 100% with your son. And yes, isn't the kindness of strangers the most wonderful thing, I'm so happy to hear of the experience you have in the world.♥️🙏🕊️
Thank you so much for sharing this story, Camilla.
"where had all that emotion come from?" ~ I totally resonate with this, and I feel it's totally natural too... after such a long flight, and arriving 'back home', and the uncertainty of how long, and whether this will be the last time... it all stirs the inner child. Time to enjoy those precious moments
I can empathize. First with the 'last time I'll see my parent' and now for seeing anyone. I was a fairly intrepid traveler until a fall on cobblestones in Lisbon resulted in some issues with walking (no breaks, but deep bone bruise which seems to have opened up intermittent pain in hip and thigh) and then came Covid, during which I turned 71. I haven't flown since then and will be making a trip to NYC at 76. Business class would be great but my friend is purchasing the ticket. I'll try to be optimistic and see how it all goes. It's another 'may be the last time' for me now that I am this age, and some of my friends are there or not far behind.
Hi Shellie, I'm so sorry to hear about your fall with deep bone bruises, and it makes me wonder if you have used comfrey for healing. My sister had a near fatal car accident with more than 20 bone breaks, and she swears by comfrey for deep bone bruise healing.
And one note regarding business class tickets - even if someone else purchases the ticket, you can upgrade them with frequent flyer miles if you have them (cash works too😁).
Good luck and many blessings for your travels♥️🙏🕊️
Thank you...I was wondering about upgrading myself. Also, the bruising was in 2017. I was in Portugal for 10 days, using essential oils and ice. Then I was in England and a friend had a homeopathic cream from Germany which might have had comfrey. I used Traumeel also here. But I will keep Comfrey in mind if I have one of the pain episodes. Thanks again!
I really enjoyed this piece, Camilla. Your admission of how you sometimes get overcome with emotion even when there is nothing seemingly dire going on — was incredibly relatable. I think at times this happens to everyone, it certainly happens to me at least. And I’ve often found myself wondering afterwards why I got so caught up in it. It’s a weird thing.
Also, I absolutely loved this line — “when she tried to remember the word upatakh, she instead called my sister an "ink pot."” — it made me chuckle. :)
Hi Michael, thanks for your comment, and yeah, it felt so good to write about it. Cathartic and even liberating. I get the sense that by writing about this kind of experience, we're strengthening that muscle of the *observing awareness* which helps me to not be *identified* with the emotion. Then I can simply observe the emotion arise and pass within 90 seconds like the neuroanatomist, Jill Bolte Taylor, describes in My Stroke of Insight, and in her Ted Talk. To not be identified with an emotion and not cling to it, nor have aversion from it (as our Buddhist monk friends teach) gives me so much freedom and spaciousness. I love it🥰 I get to come back to equanimity😁
And you know the other fun thing - I didn't make the connection until Beth Kempton commented about "ink pot" that there is a lovely synchronicity here - the class I'm doing with Beth at the moment (that is fantastic) is called Ink and Flame♥️🙏🕊️
That is actually such a wonderful point, Camilla. I love the idea that writing about these sorts of experiences we strengthen our ability to observe our emotions without attachment. Writing really does just keep giving and giving.
And ohh no way! What a wonderful synchronicity! :)
‘Ink pot’ ❤️ May your time together be precious. It must be hard to live so far away. It’s a blessing that you have the means to travel to see your mother often Xx
I love this synchronicity Beth - I just finished listening to the Friday class and looked on my iPhone to see what time it is in London - here in Bulahdelah it's 5:30pm, and it says it's 6:30am in London. Good morning☀️ and thank you so much for reading and commenting. And yes, it truly is a blessing that I'm able to have this time with Mum♥️🙏🕊️
and I actually didn't make the connection between Ink & Flame and Ink pot, until you wrote that🥰
❤️❤️❤️
Hi Camilla, I enjoyed listening to this, so thank you for reading. Yes, where does all that emotion come from? Memories stored in our bodies -maybe - our vulnerability? I can only imagine the anxiety of the mere distance you need to travel in an event of urgency. I got a tickle out of arriving in Boston before you left Sydney 😄. Time is an illusion 🤣. The only business class flight l ever had was a university paid flight from Melbourne to KL, part of a 4 flight trip to Northern Sweden 🤦♀️. Glad you got to visit your Mum and sister 💜🙏😊
Hi Simone, yes exactly, "the body keeps the score," and yes, lots of feelings arise, including vulnerability, when I visit my native country.
And, overall, I've been very fortunate with being able to get back when needed - like when my sister had a near-fatal car accident.
Glad to hear you appreciated the fact that you arrive in L.A. before leaving Sydney😁 it bends my mind every time I experience it😁
Hi Camilla. I hope that your time with your mom was sweet and cozy. Sending you all goodwill and good times. You're in my heart, fellow traveler.
Hi Stephanie, thank you for your kind words. And yes it still is sweet and cozy, and simultaneously fun and outrageous. My mother has a passion for being controversial and provocative (and yes, perhaps this is where I inherited it from😉) I have one more week here🥰 and I feel it's a privilege to spend time with her at this stage of her life♥️🙏🕊️
This is a such a beautiful piece of writing Camilla - thank you ❤️
It's very meaningful to me Hannah, that you appreciate this as a beautiful piece of writing. Thank you♥️🙏🕊️
Time with loved ones are the most valuable, beautiful moments of all. We all intuitively know that our time together is fleeting… and precious and sometimes we feel it so strongly that it’s overwhelming indeed.
Thank you for sharing the story of your journey home. It’s beautiful.
Hi Felicia! If this is the Felicia I think it is, it's great to hear from you here! And thank you so much for your kind and generous words♥️🙏🕊️
Camilla, thank you from my heart for your story. I'm in my late 70s and I travel a lot. Often out of the country. I am realizing how vital it is for me to take care of myself by flying business or premium. My son tells me, 'mom, take care of your health now otherwise you'll be spending lots of money taking care of your illnesses.' I also have found I'm more anxious about finding information and feeling a bit disoriented and in all of this I have been shown great kindness, especially by young men who help me with my luggage, or navigating a crowded bus or train. As an elder I don't feel invisible, I most often feel valued and respected. My father died quite suddenly while I was on a trip. What I have left is the gift of his last words to me. 'be careful and travel safe.'
Ingrid, what a beautiful comment to read. It makes my heart happy to hear my words connected with your heart. Good for you for traveling a lot in your late 70s! Aging bodies aren't always easy to manage. And I agree 100% with your son. And yes, isn't the kindness of strangers the most wonderful thing, I'm so happy to hear of the experience you have in the world.♥️🙏🕊️
Thank you so much for sharing this story, Camilla.
"where had all that emotion come from?" ~ I totally resonate with this, and I feel it's totally natural too... after such a long flight, and arriving 'back home', and the uncertainty of how long, and whether this will be the last time... it all stirs the inner child. Time to enjoy those precious moments
Thank you Veronika for reading and for your kind and generous response, and yes, when emotion hits you like that it can be quite overwhelming.♥️🙏🕊️
Those last moments with our parents are filled with awe and sentiment. I see that coming through your writing. 🩵🤎
Thanks Martha♥️🙏🕊️