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Memory Lane

Last weekend, I stood by my Dad's side as we laid his Grandma, my Great Grandma Curfman to rest. It is one of the phases of life, that never gets easier, no matter the age of the person that you are saying goodbye to. She was 94, which to me is worth celebrating. And I like to think that she would like it that way. 

Sylvia Curfman was a huge part of my Dad's life. And I know that it was a tough situation for him, even with her being 94. One of the worst experiences for me is when my Dad cries. It absolutely tears me up inside. At the same time, I felt my little family growing closer in that moment. It really puts the importance of family into perspective. After the funeral, I felt myself wanting to stay close to my family, my Dad in particular. So we decided to go to lunch and do a bit of Super Bowl Sunday shopping, but first.... 

Anyone who knows or knew Sylvia Curfman knows that Hull, IL was where a big part of her life unfolded. She operated restaurants there, a laundromat and had a daycare where she cared for over sixty babies. I can still hear her voice at my baby shower telling me "you don't need that to care for a baby." She just couldn't wrap her head around us millennials and our need for what we only think are the "essentials". I'm getting off topic here, so let's get back to Hull. 

Hull also played a big role in the lives of my parents. After we left the cemetery, I suggested that we take a drive through Hull so that they could take a trip down memory lane. I don't think they will ever know just how much that experience meant to me. It was like the town that now seems abandoned, had come back to life through their eyes. We drove up and down the streets of what used to be a busy little town (before the highway was added) as Mom and Dad showed us all of the homes that used to belong to their family and friends. They showed us the empty lot where the church that they were married in once stood. Also the empty lot where the old trailer stood where my parents started as newlyweds. My Grandma's old house still stands, despite the flood waters of 1993. You can still see where the grocery store was, the feed store, where Grandma Curfman's restaurant was and of course I'll always recognize Epley Tire. 

I think that drive down memory lane was just what my parents needed. I could see my Dad lighting up in a way that I'd never seen before. I wish that I could've gotten the journey on video so that I'll always remember it. What Grandma Curfman's passing taught me was that life is precious. The years will fly by. Don't waste a single moment and always remember where you came from. I am beyond proud of who my parents are and the life that lead them to where we all are today. 

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