Two of the largest influences on my life have passed and they share a birthday. What are the chances? My mother and my late husband’s birthday are on the same day, June 29. Unbelievable, really. While I miss them here on earth, Heaven is home. God still has a plan for me and these children here on earth and daily I seek God to focus on what is most important.

Antonio Jackson

Every year since Antonio has passed, we have been going to Chicago to celebrate his life. Antonio was born in Chicago and raised in Alabama. We met in North Carolina. He had just returned from playing professional basketball in Europe. He returned to Chicago to go to business school. I later moved to Chicago. We got engaged there and he started his post graduate professional career.

Summertime in Chicago is beautiful. Lake Michigan is gorgeous. The lake is so large is feels like you are living near a quiet sea.

We invite Antonio’s friends and family to spend time with us remembering times of old and creating new memories. We explore the city, share, and eat. Unfortunately, COVID was a barrier to getting to Chicago this year.

Patricia McKenzie

Additionally, this is my mom’s first birthday since she passed. My mom loved the water. Together, my parents introduced me to the water of oceans, lakes, and ponds along the eastern seaboard. I swam at an early age. I was on the swim team in high school. I have shared my love for water with Alivia and Audrey. They started swim lessons when they were less than one year old. They have been on a neighborhood swim team for the past three years. They are further motivated by my promise to show them the oceans of the world where sometimes there are no life guards. They are beautiful and confident swimmers.

Celebrate Life

I decided on an impromptu visit to the beach. I looked for the nearest beach on the Atlantic, packed a picnic, and piled everyone into the car. It was time to introduce my niece and nephew to the ocean. When Antonio and I traveled, water was nearly always involved. I have told the girls stories of them having passports before they were one year old and traveling to the oceans of the world.

It was a beautiful day. We stayed at the beach until the sun went down. I was inundated with emotions. God helped me harness them into something meaningful and gave me peace. We held hands overlooking the ocean and thanked the Lord for his mercy and grace through life’s challenges. We piled back into the car to head home.

While on this earth, we see everyday as an adventure and an opportunity to effect change. Daily we are overcoming obstacles and learning about ourselves and the world around us. We are looking for reasons to be grateful and everyday we find them.