Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The Beginning of Understanding

The relationship with my dad seemed broken. I told him and my mom that I needed to get away for a while and that I planned on hitching a ride to our cabin near Alpena. So, I filled a military duffle bag with a minimum amount of clothes and a maximum amout of canned food. I was lucky to get a ride to just about 10 miles from the cabin. The last miles I walked down a dirt road at three in the morning and not a street light for miles. Tag's old green duffle bag seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.

I spent the next weeks thinking about my family. The life handed out to my parents was unfair. My mother didn't deserve epilepsy and her children shouldn't have had to live under the tremendous pressure that came with worry. There were so many questions going on in my mind, and I could not find any answers. I blamed my dad for almost everything, except Tags death, I blamed that on God.

Time away did me a lot of good. The fresh Pine air was great to wake up to. Our family had so many wonderful memories of camping in these woods. Campfires, roaming racoons, swimming in Lake Huron, all those experiences were hidden treasures that we all had in common. I would never forget the last time Tag was able to go north with us.

After almost three months away I had settled some issues and was ready to get back to the family. Back at home I was able to talk with my dad and deal with my feelings. My mom and dad had discussions with us kids about selling the house and moving north. The house was the first one that I remember my parents owning. Now, because of circumstances, my mom would give up her house.

With the decision made; five of us moved north. Moved north to a cabin with one bedroom, a kitchen, small bathroom, and a screened in porch that would become a living room. It must have seemed crazy to a lot of people in Riverview. I was leaving the schools I knew and the friends that I been with for years. I put that behind me because I was absolutely thrilled with moving north, to the middle of no-where, and starting over.

No comments:

Post a Comment