We all cried at various times. Leaving this resort and ending our time in Greece was hard, even though we also all missed home. There was extra sentimental value because it was our first plane trip since the pandemic, but so much more than that.
For me the killer was saying goodbye to this lagoon. I used to like swimming, but I haven’t done it much with my daughter — an old shoulder injury has gotten worse in recent years and limited my mobility. Also at my age, I find it much harder to tolerate chilly water.
A few weeks ago, Ms 7 really got the hang of holding her breath to swim underwater. We’ve been trying for almost 5 years to get to this point, and she is so proud of her new ability. The Lagoon at Costa Navarino was warm enough for me, and shallow enough for my daughter to stand. Genius Mom @janetesquirolsylvan suggested we go diving for rocks, and a game was born.
We played for hours. The water was warm, my recent stretches and T’ai Chi improved my injured shoulder, and we had no time limit. I spent hour after hour swimming and playing hide-the-stones with my daughter. Every single day. First time in her life that I could really be comfortable swimming endlessly in the pool with her and playing games like the Dad I strive to be. I know it will happen again, but saying goodbye to that lagoon was more than I could bear.
For Ms 7, it was the animals. There was the tiny metallic lizard she found. And the hawk whose job it was to scare sparrows off the dining tables. And the sparrows who obviously didn’t care. But saying goodbye to the two shy outdoor kittens she befriended was her breakdown.
I have always felt it’s important to savor the good moments as they happen, to live so we don’t regret missed opportunities… and I do feel we were mindful during this trip. But oof this one got me right in the heart. 💔
Special thanks to @janetesquirolsylvan for enduring the hard parts and bringing the magic. 💕
