Chapter 42

Flying home from Rarotonga, John felt excited about the prospect of a new year. His time with Gao and all of his new friends had helped enlighten his perspective and improve his attitude. He thought about a quote he had on his dashboard as a young man on his first road trip, and thought about how true it still was for him. “We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”

Arriving home, he saw he had emails from Lisa, Amarita, his mother, as well as one from his boss. At this moment he was too drained to read any of them, and put on It’s a Wonderful Life instead. It was an old Christmas tradition and he enjoyed the larger message. Each life touches so many others.

At the end of the movie, and after thinking about all of the things he had seen in Rarotonga, he decided it was important that he call and skype with his mother. He didn’t want to take the family and people in his life for granted, and vowed to make more of an effort. His time on the island had reminded him of that.

“Well if it isn’t the prodigal son!” his mother said as her face appeared on the screen.

“Hey mom. Merry Christmas! Sorry if I’m a little late,” he said.

“A little late?” she asked. “I didn’t know if I was ever going to hear from you again.”

“I know and I’m sorry. I guess I’ve just been adjusting to my new life here and in the hustle and bustle kind of forgot there were still people back home. Anyway, how are you? How was your holiday?”

“My holiday was fine and everyone on this end is fine. Everyone asks about things you know. How you are, what your new life is like. Are you really never coming home again?”

“Well to tell you the truth I’ve recently had a bit of an experience that made me rethink things like family and commitment and the past. There are still a lot of things I’m not quite ready to face back home, but I did have an idea and I wanted to talk to you about it.’

“Okay,” she said. ‘I’m intrigued. What did you have in mind?”

“Well I know you don’t fly, so coming over here is probably not an option. But I would like to see you, and like I say, I want to start appreciating family a little more. So let me ask you. What’s on your bucket list? Where would you go if money and time were no object and you could do whatever you wanted?”

“And, you, my son, are the genie that is in a position to grant me this wish?” she asked with a laugh.

“Let’s just say I’ll make the time,” he replied. “And I don’t care about the money. So I’ll ask you again. Where would you like to go?”

He saw from the screen that she had begun to cry, and it made him sad as well. Whatever he had done and however he had hurt her, he wanted to make it right, so he was willing to be patient now.

“Well you know, when I was a younger woman I went to San Francisco and rode the cable cars. The San Francisco treat! Remember that? I went to Fisherman’s Wharf and walked across the Golden Gate Bridge on a foggy day, and I never, ever forgot it. So I guess I would go there. I’m 70 now and my health isn’t so great anymore, and I’d love to do all of that one more time.”

“Well alright then!’ he replied. “It’s settled then. In three months time we’ll meet in San Francisco and we can do anything you want. So, what do you say?”

“Well truthfully I would like nothing more,” she said. “I love you son. I hope you always know that. No matter how far away you are."

“I love you too mom."

“Even if I haven’t been very good at saying and showing it.”