Transitions - A Love Letter-A Memoir

The following is a memoir, a letter written by my mother, in early June in the mid-1970s, when my parents were transitioning from the city of Edmonton to a smaller northern Albertan city due to my father's work. At the time, I had moved out and in graduate school, my younger brother as well to his studies. But my mother with three children at home was still finding the planned move difficult. Her letter not only shows the depth of my parent's relationship but as well the gradual adjustment towards the coming move. One might also note the northern flight was delayed to a spring snow blizzard!

 All the photos are my own and not to be duplicated!

"My dearest, This will be the first of my many love letters. I shall write and mail to you until such time as we are together permanently and God willing forever. I miss you. I love you. I need you.

It was a wonderful weekend for me - thank-you, being with you, buying our house, bringing the camera, taking pictures, shopping, meeting people and managers, being caught in a fresh snow blizzard, missing you and seeing you at work. It was a weekend to be remembered with exciting happy memories.

The plane trip home was pleasant, talking to quite a few people including a lady, who farms locally, very pleasant and asked me to phone her when I get back. Also she knows of other properties with new buildings for sale.. It wouldn’t hurt to at least take a look at the property, to get some idea of accessibility, countryside etc. in that area. Also she spoke about the disadvantages of country living- isolation among other things we had discussed.

Again I arrived home with very many mixed feelings, especially after seeing the house and yard, the familiar district, the 18 years of our lives, that have gone into it, to make it a home for our children, from very trees planted, rocks placed, garden planted, baseboards finished, tiles laid, walls erected, desks and bookshelves built, to whole rooms finished and decorated,  and the happy memories of times spent together, in the yard playing ball, barbecues with family and friends, digging the fish pond, birthday parties and Christmases, a wedding and graduation.Everything I touch or feel or see that is familiar brings memories flooding into my mind. - but they are just that - Stories I shall always have, regardless of where I am, God granting me a clear mind. 

But I can’t go on living just on memories for to do so my life would be meaningless. I need you to share memories with as a father to our children, provider, friend, companion and lover. I need you in the future to share my life with and to build the future on, and to look forward to. 

We both know that this is going to be an extremely difficult move and adjustment for me to make with periods of anxieties, tensions and regrets, but fortunately there are already favorable factors working out well for both of us -time for moving and adjustments and our new house which I am still delighted about that we bought. The new house tho’ it wont hold everything from this house, as I started taking inventory already and even after sorting some things are going to have to go into storage..

Hi again my darling!

I must fly and mail this..We’re all anxiously waiting to see you Friday,

All my love ,

PS So you see already I am finding reasons to want to move north."