My bags are packed.

I'm headed to Florida for vacation for several months and tonight I packed 2 suitcases full of camera equipment, clothes, and a variety of other things I'll be using there.

Last year I also went to Florida. However, that was not a fun trip at all. I went to visit my mom & sister for XMas, but my mom got sick, went into a coma and died near the end of January. Every day I was in the hospital and then hospice and ultimately her funeral. I gave the eulogy. Indeed, I think I posted that eulogy on here last year. Search among my blogs, if you like.

Nonetheless, this trip will certainly be bittersweet. I will likely be flooded with memories of my mom. However, I will also have a lot of free time to explore the nature in Florida and visit friends and my sister's family. I plan on having fun, hopefully lots of it.

So, my bags are packed. I fly out on Tuesday and will likely not return until perhaps March 2010. That phrase, "my bags are packed", reminds me of the great Jimmy Valvano. I remember a tremendous motivational speech he gave including that phrase. His father always told him that. "My bags are packed". It meant, I'm ready to be there for you, to support and help you. I searched for that speech, which included many great stories. I have it on VHS. You remember those things, right ?

Well, on youtube it wasn't there. And to be honest, it probably is too long to post here anyway. So, instead here is a much shorter speech by him, given just prior to him dying. His body was riddled with cancer, when he gave this speech and let it serve to perhaps inspire you to enjoy this temporary gift that we share - life. Don't worry, it is not a sad speech, it is a joyous one.