with Melea Beshires
This week’s article was written by Judy Dillard.
Judy and her sister, Birdie Dillard King, took a trip last week to Laughlin, Nev. She shares some lovely reflections on being a caregiver and how refreshing and restorative a change of scene can be following the loss of a loved one.
“After Mom died, I was lost. I felt there was something I should be doing, but I couldn’t think what it was. I guess when you are a caregiver you lose part of yourself. It takes a while for you to realize your time is yours. No one is depending on you.
My trip helped me to realize this. It put me in a different environment. My head cleared, and I felt relaxed completely for the first time in seven years.
This trip was a first for me in a lot of things. I had never flown before. I had never been in a casino or gambled more than a little (Tennessee Lottery) and still haven’t. I did learn Casinos do have good food.
Our flight was about two and a half hours. We got to Laughlin around 7:30. I was tired. That was the first time in years I slept all night, and I don’t know how long it has been since I felt that rested.
The hotel was isolated, and the landscape was like another planet. The mountains in the background were beautiful, and the water in the Colorado River was as clear as glass. The sunrises and sunsets were beautiful, too.
There was not much to do except eat and play the slot machines. There were no shopping malls and no way to get to any.
We (rode) the water taxi for a short trip, but I do not think I could go very far on the water because I get motion sickness. While I don’t think I would ever want to go back there, I am thankful for the trip.”
