sweetpee_1993
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2008
Maybe too personal but since when am I not an open book?
Yes, I've sailed with Disney a lot. I grew up with some of my best memories involving Disney, my folks, my grandparents, and almost always my brother.
I definitely had hit a certain burn-out level with Disney cruising over a year ago. Not unreasonable, really. 11 cruises in 4 years *is* a lot. 2 of those cruises were with my brother who really did fall madly in love with Disney cruising.
Then last November my brother passed suddenly and the world just stopped for me. My husband, God bless him, tried so hard to reach me....get my mind excited about future travel planning which was always my most favorite thing....but no. I would just tell him, "No, I don't want to go anywhere. I don't care if I never go anywhere ever again." And in that moment, I can honestly say I truly TRULY did not.
But every year in September my group of girlfriends all meet up to run around Disney property like crazy little kids then sail on the Dream. Try as I may to back out this year, I still managed to get myself going. The 2 weeks before the trip I even started to feel anticipation & excitement like little rays of sunshine breaking through the gloomy rain clouds. Then I got to see my friends and hug them and forget all the gloom. I ran around like a silly little girl (with bars & drinks-drinks!). Oh I'd get little reminders all the time: a song, a spot, someone would say a phrase....but I'd smile because I knew my brother would not only want me in the place I was, he'd be wishing he was part of all the shenanigans.
Getting to the port, being in the terminal, walking past the table I shared with my brother when leaving our embarkation Enchanted Garden lunch.....so many moments I felt him near but also could feel a healing. By the end of the cruise I felt like I'd taken so many huge strides to get back to feeling okay again. Even my husband mentioned in our text conversations how lit-up I seemed to be and how much he'd been missing the happier, go-getter, wanderlust side of me. In many ways I feel like I'm coming back around....but, WOW! The biggest of jumps, the longest strides, the sudden surprising rediscovery of the girl who was in there all along & I feared had died right with my brother....it happened right there on that ship. Whodathunkit? Surely not me.
So I booked us on the 2017 EBPC while onboard. Oh and the planning for the 2017 runaway with my fellow Ladies of Leisure has definitely begun. I'm so excited to be planning and researching all these next adventures again. I just want to shout to the whole world: I'm back! And for every adventure to come I know my fellow wanderer brother will be with me. That's what we do. We bring him forward every day no matter where we go or what we do. I go. He goes. It's what we planned so it's what we'll do.
Thanks, Disney, for healing this shattered, lost little girl's heart. <3
Yes, I've sailed with Disney a lot. I grew up with some of my best memories involving Disney, my folks, my grandparents, and almost always my brother.
I definitely had hit a certain burn-out level with Disney cruising over a year ago. Not unreasonable, really. 11 cruises in 4 years *is* a lot. 2 of those cruises were with my brother who really did fall madly in love with Disney cruising.
Then last November my brother passed suddenly and the world just stopped for me. My husband, God bless him, tried so hard to reach me....get my mind excited about future travel planning which was always my most favorite thing....but no. I would just tell him, "No, I don't want to go anywhere. I don't care if I never go anywhere ever again." And in that moment, I can honestly say I truly TRULY did not.
But every year in September my group of girlfriends all meet up to run around Disney property like crazy little kids then sail on the Dream. Try as I may to back out this year, I still managed to get myself going. The 2 weeks before the trip I even started to feel anticipation & excitement like little rays of sunshine breaking through the gloomy rain clouds. Then I got to see my friends and hug them and forget all the gloom. I ran around like a silly little girl (with bars & drinks-drinks!). Oh I'd get little reminders all the time: a song, a spot, someone would say a phrase....but I'd smile because I knew my brother would not only want me in the place I was, he'd be wishing he was part of all the shenanigans.
Getting to the port, being in the terminal, walking past the table I shared with my brother when leaving our embarkation Enchanted Garden lunch.....so many moments I felt him near but also could feel a healing. By the end of the cruise I felt like I'd taken so many huge strides to get back to feeling okay again. Even my husband mentioned in our text conversations how lit-up I seemed to be and how much he'd been missing the happier, go-getter, wanderlust side of me. In many ways I feel like I'm coming back around....but, WOW! The biggest of jumps, the longest strides, the sudden surprising rediscovery of the girl who was in there all along & I feared had died right with my brother....it happened right there on that ship. Whodathunkit? Surely not me.
So I booked us on the 2017 EBPC while onboard. Oh and the planning for the 2017 runaway with my fellow Ladies of Leisure has definitely begun. I'm so excited to be planning and researching all these next adventures again. I just want to shout to the whole world: I'm back! And for every adventure to come I know my fellow wanderer brother will be with me. That's what we do. We bring him forward every day no matter where we go or what we do. I go. He goes. It's what we planned so it's what we'll do.
Thanks, Disney, for healing this shattered, lost little girl's heart. <3
So sorry for your loss. But so glad you have begun healing and can once again enjoy the happy memories!
Good thoughts for continuing with the healing process.
. When I travel, I carry my mother's 
travel bag with me, along with a cross she received when she was sick. So she may not be physically with me, but in my heart she is, still traveling and seeing places. 
