January 20, 2021: Bobby Russ
Memories... that is often what is left when someone we care about departs. There are many different types of memories that one can have. For example, I drove past a Saturn SL1 which brought back memories of when I still owned mine. It was a good car which I had close to 2 decades. Many different stories I could tell in it. Some you may have already heard.
So, when I took Renee's mom to the airport, it ended a chapter of my life as well as hers. We took the ride that I had only taken when dealing with Renee or someone connected to her. It's funny to think about actually. I had never even realized there was an airport known as Sanford (Orlando). It was a place that Renee had introduced me to... even though she was the out of state person. That makes me chuckle.
I can remember the drive that I had taken to pick her up on those times she had flown out of there. We would laugh, tell stories along the way. I can't remember much of specific conversations me and her had along the way. Sometimes she would be speaking of how excited she was going to be to see someone. She'd tell me details of frustrations, hopes of tomorrow, or even just have a moment where something popped into her field of view and she'd comment.
Those were all precious memories. The details lost to the sands of time and yet... I wouldn't trade that time for anything. So, as I drove back home, it reminded me of memories of her and her wishes with her daughters. She wanted them to grow and see them fly. We never can know what the future can be, but I will always remember how much she wanted her girls to be happy. She wanted them to have a good life. She wasn't unreasonable thinking that they'd have a perfect life. The road isn't paved that way. Realistic...
I remember her talking to me one day late at night. It was one of those conversations that most would probably never bring up, but it's a view into the being of what Renee was. We talked about the girls, life expectancy, and death. She had spoken to me about her wishes about many things. We had both thought we would have years or even decades ahead of us. One of her wishes was simple... she wanted me to help her daughters should the time ever come that she would not be along. Of course, the help she spoke of wasn't money or things. No... it was trying to help them through life's challenges.
I will always try my best to do what I can because of what Renee means to me. They are part of the legacy she leaves behind. She was very proud of their achievements. I can't count how many times I had heard her brag about them and I enjoyed every moment seeing the smile in her face. Those who worked with her knew her daughters by Renee's comments. In the end, Renee was a proud mother. She wasn't perfect, but she did try to help them. But she was a mom who loved and fought in many ways for her kids to be happy even if she didn't always know how to help that to be.