2011
Left Saturday morning with Emily and Gracie headed for Grand Rapids to see the Grand Rapids Ballet perform the Nutcracker. (I've never been to Grand Rapids but when Emily was at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, she would fly in and out of "GR" for holiday visits home.) Emily decided we should spend the night just to be on the safe side in case of snow! I left Topinabee just excited to spend the time with Emily and Gracie. It's about a 3 hour drive and it passed quickly with entertainment provided by Gracie.
We were on an interstate about 2 miles north of downtown when I saw it. Oh my gosh, it's a building taller than 2 stories!!!!! I had forgotten what a big city (and it's not really all that big) downtown looked like. There are several buildings that have over 10 stories! WOW! I see taxis, city buses, and more cars at one time than I've seen in months! Wait...we're pulling up to a hotel and there's valet parking with attendants dressed in uniforms and doormen!!!! They take our car and direct us to the Front Desk! I see 4 uniformed people smiling and welcoming guests. We are told our room is on the 19th floor! The 19th floor!! We quickly see our room, freshen up and walk (indoors) to the performance hall. This hotel is connected to everything downtown with walkways. We're in our seats reviewing the program. This entire Grand Rapids Ballet season is dedicated to one of their most beloved devotees, Betty Ford (I remembered she was a dancer). The symphony orchestra is in the pit, the conductor appears, the overture begins and we are whisked away to Clara's home and our first sight of the nutcracker. What a beautiful performance. We enjoy every moment.
We walk back to our hotel to really check out our room. We are overlooking a river and just below us there is a pedestrian walkway across the bridge that leads directly into the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum. We must come back next summer and sightsee! Right now we need to decide what to do for dinner. There are several restaurants in the hotel and we choose the one on the 27th floor with a view of the greater Grand Rapids area. It is beautiful, the service excellent and the food delicious. We had a relaxing evening and a restful night. This morning we headed back to Topinabee and our "real" lives! (Emily and I made a conscious decision to NOT go to the mall. I'm not sure my heart would have survived!!)
Life is funny, isn't it? I was so used to seeing "big cities" and all they provided, but if you don't have those surroundings your life fills with so many other wonderful things. Yes, I realized I missed some of those things, but I also realized I didn't need those things. I have a loving family close and far away, the best friends in the world close and far away, and a new life filled with new things close and far away. That "life is funny" thing is what keeps us enjoying life. I'll enjoy mine if you promise to enjoy yours...no matter what!
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