With both our sons rapidly growing up, I am coming to grips with the reality that this holiday in Corfu represents the possible end of an era. An era where every year, we went abroad as one big happy family (for most of the time!) and saw them grow up, at least through the holiday photographs anyway. Next summer, it is unlikely that we will travel to this little slice of heaven because as one son leaves university, the other begins. We won’t have the time, but I am not sure we will have the inclination anyway.
Perhaps we are unusual, but we have not looked forward to the day when our boys grew up and didn’t want to come away with us. It’s fair to say that we’ve actually dreaded it, at least in a small, selfish sense. We wanted to bring them up to become men and as men they would make their own choices and decisions in life, one of which would be to do other things in the summer and that’s more important. But we never so much as thought we’d look forward to the day it would just be us.
The oldest son returned home yesterday to concentrate on his University work so now there are three of us to enjoy this last full day of Arillas 2015. When we first came to Corfu as a part family, the oldest son was two. Now he is 21. Where on earth did those years go? Son number two is taller than any of us and he hasn’t even been born at the time. Blink and half a lifetime has gone and it won’t come back.
There will be no tears from me, at least, when we leave tomorrow evening because once again we have loved the hospitality of Corfu. And one day, maybe one day soon, we will come back again.
Next year, it will be the Netherlands for some roots searching and maybe she who must be obeyed and I will manage something foreign or something British just for a break.
We have been very, very lucky to enjoy these very special times together, times which have been among the very best in my life.
