Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Not This Time

We are fair people. I’m not talking about fairzy squarezy…although we strive for that. I mean FAIRS. 4H houses filled with beautiful gingham handmade blouses and gigantic pumpkins, cow barns, Tilt-a-Whirls, and greasy elephant ears. We are FAIR people, and we count down the days until fair season starts!

The Walworth County Fair in Elkhorn, Wisconsin is our family’s favorite. Elkhorn is about 56 miles from our homes, and since my sister and I were very young, our parents would bring us up to this magical wonderland full of food and fun. Dad and mom loved this fair so much, that sometimes they would drive us back home, get a babysitter, and go back up for a super cool date night!

But this fair, always over Labor Day weekend, was summer’s loud and clear swan song. So, as it approached, we were both thrilled and a bit ticked at the same time, knowing school and real life started on Tuesday.

My wise father says, “The only thing constant is change…but people don’t resist change, they resist being changed.” As we grow older, the Elkhorn Fair continues to be our family’s Labor Day destination, although our fair days somehow don’t seem to be as fair anymore. Mobility has become an issue. Dad carries pain in his back and knees, and walking around the fair with mom is no longer possible. He drives us up to Wisconsin, and we make sure he has a shady place to sit, usually with a book, a root beer float, and ear of corn, while we take in the fair with mom. Last year, I was able to walk and sit, walk and sit, and because my mom was so patient with my little sit pit-stops, we took in most of our fair favorites. A bit of a change, but still a delightful memory maker.

It’s now the Sunday before Fair Monday, and daddy calls, checking on the plans. As soon as the phone rings, my heart begins to ache. I know I will not be going to the fair tomorrow. I already know that my pain level is high and my strength level is low. I am resisting being changed by a disease that controls my plans. I know that if I do go, I will be spending all day Tuesday recovering. He is so precious, trying every different option he can conger to make this work…even volunteering to push me in a wheelchair!

I remind him that I should be the one pushing him in that chair, and we sadly laughed at this word picture.

My life is becoming overwhelmed with changes. Most are not fair. Many I’m resisting. But memories can still be made…

Because that is the one constant that will never change.