February 16th 2015 we were 7 days into a 15 day stay in Negril and Eryn received a call from her mother letting her know that her Dad had just died of a heart attack shoveling snow. We could not get a flight out until later the following day, and my wife was beside herself with grief and anger that we were not closer to home. We spent the next 24 hours after the call walking and waiting, all night. It was 36 hours later, and 3am when we finally made it back to Duluth. The following year when the time came to decide whether we would go again I was a little hesitant to ask her, but immediately she said of course, and she truly felt it was what her Dad would have wanted her to do. To this day if you ask her if she misses talking to her Dad she answers "No, because I still talk to him every day". Our trip back to Negril the following year had special meaning for her. The time on the beach sitting quietly, the ocean, music and laughter passing in waves down the beach, all really reminding you of how precious life is. It brought her some measure of closure on the trip at some moment I couldn't put my finger on, but I could feel it from her.
So sorry for your loss Jenn and Daveh. I think you will experience a measure of peace from your trip that Negril seems able to give to all that visit. And of course you too will be talking with your Dad or Son every day as well, and sharing your trip with them. To quote Winnie the Poo "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
