Exactly one month ago today, my wife of 24 yrs passed away. She organized her life, our teen aged son's and my mine with lists. So of course she had a list for her eventual passing from a long battle with ovarian cancer. The list contained instructions for her memorial service like who would officiate, music, scriptures read, who to donate her clothes and the disposition of her ashes.
The ashes is where the gift comes in. She saw how much my son and I enjoyed our times in the NSX and especially when we took the long roadtrip from N.C. to San Antonio, TX when I purchased the car. So to quote her, " I want you and Drew (our son) to have another adventure in the NSX. I want some of my ashes spread in the Smoky Mtns. near the place my family used to go camping when I was a child. Then from there, take the time to go some place else for awhile before coming home to continue your lives moving forward."
So we did as the boss ordered and drove to Smoky Mtn. Natl. Park to spread her ashes on a ridge overlooking the camping area she loved as a kid. After that little ceremony, Drew and I felt like we could breath again and enjoy the rest of our adventure. We took a drive into Smoky Mtn. Natl. Park on 441 with no other traffic on the road. The turns were tight and challenging and the many tunnels allowed us to hear that wonderful engine enhanced by Pride V2 exhaust scream. What a beautiful day and I could imagine her smiling at our pleasure. We enjoyed the area so much we took an extra day to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in perfect 75 degree weather. (It was over 100 degrees in Texas during our trip.)
Then we drove through the mountains to Northern Ohio to visit my mom who couldn't make it to the service due to a health issue and friends who supported us throughout my wife's illness. After spending several days in Ohio, we drove down to Memphis, TN for two days to enjoy Booze (for DAD), Blues and BBQ before driving home to face reality, start healing and get my son back to school.
My wife was a very special person to the many who knew her. And after saying yes to a question I posed 25 yrs ago and presenting me with our son 15 yrs ago this trip was the most special gift that she could have given us as she knew that we have a special bond that many fathers and sons don't have and that a roadtrip in the car my son and I both enjoy spending time in could be used to strengthen and heal. It was her last gift to each of us and a memory that neither of us will ever forget.
Sorry for the long dissertation. After all it is just a car and it could have been a boat or plane that could have been our family hobbie. But to us this car is a vehicle to other things more important than driving from point A to B.
P.S. On our trip I lost count the number of times we were asked if the NSX was a Ferrari. My standard answer became....no it's not a Ferarri....It's better because it's a Honda and thats my son in the passenger seat and not my mechanic. No offense intended to my F-Car friends.
The ashes is where the gift comes in. She saw how much my son and I enjoyed our times in the NSX and especially when we took the long roadtrip from N.C. to San Antonio, TX when I purchased the car. So to quote her, " I want you and Drew (our son) to have another adventure in the NSX. I want some of my ashes spread in the Smoky Mtns. near the place my family used to go camping when I was a child. Then from there, take the time to go some place else for awhile before coming home to continue your lives moving forward."
So we did as the boss ordered and drove to Smoky Mtn. Natl. Park to spread her ashes on a ridge overlooking the camping area she loved as a kid. After that little ceremony, Drew and I felt like we could breath again and enjoy the rest of our adventure. We took a drive into Smoky Mtn. Natl. Park on 441 with no other traffic on the road. The turns were tight and challenging and the many tunnels allowed us to hear that wonderful engine enhanced by Pride V2 exhaust scream. What a beautiful day and I could imagine her smiling at our pleasure. We enjoyed the area so much we took an extra day to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in perfect 75 degree weather. (It was over 100 degrees in Texas during our trip.)
Then we drove through the mountains to Northern Ohio to visit my mom who couldn't make it to the service due to a health issue and friends who supported us throughout my wife's illness. After spending several days in Ohio, we drove down to Memphis, TN for two days to enjoy Booze (for DAD), Blues and BBQ before driving home to face reality, start healing and get my son back to school.
My wife was a very special person to the many who knew her. And after saying yes to a question I posed 25 yrs ago and presenting me with our son 15 yrs ago this trip was the most special gift that she could have given us as she knew that we have a special bond that many fathers and sons don't have and that a roadtrip in the car my son and I both enjoy spending time in could be used to strengthen and heal. It was her last gift to each of us and a memory that neither of us will ever forget.
Sorry for the long dissertation. After all it is just a car and it could have been a boat or plane that could have been our family hobbie. But to us this car is a vehicle to other things more important than driving from point A to B.
P.S. On our trip I lost count the number of times we were asked if the NSX was a Ferrari. My standard answer became....no it's not a Ferarri....It's better because it's a Honda and thats my son in the passenger seat and not my mechanic. No offense intended to my F-Car friends.
