Winning the Lottery of Life

 

  Never in my life had I dreamed I would have the extraordinary experience of spending three months weaving my life around being with my family in Spain. When our older daughter and her husband invited my husband and I to visit them abroad, I felt as if I had won the lottery of life. Having the chance to leisurely interact with this rich culture, under sunny skies and warm temperatures, with access to an outdoor pool for swimming laps, and most importantly, being here with my family - it all feels quite surreal.

Exploring various parts of the country with my husband, interspersed with living with my daughter and her family in their home, the bonus of overlapping a few days of my younger daughter’s visit here, as well as spending a couple of weeks later this month, on my own in a small town nearby. How did I get so lucky? 

This week has been all about caring for my grandchildren here in southern Spain - driving them to school and their various activities, playing in the pool, assisting with homework, enjoying simple meals, and having beautiful conversations, while their parents are enjoying some time together in Paris. Meanwhile, my husband and our other daughter embarked on their 790 km Camino hike a few days ago, trekking across northern Spain for the next five weeks.

Father and daughter, husband and wife, Oma and grandchildren. Witnessing my family's immersion in this wonderful flow of enriching experiences with each other expands my heart near bursting, every minute, of every day.