Category Archives: Grief Journey

A Pocket for the Penguin

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I needed a new waist pack for our trip, so about a week before leaving I headed to Roads Rivers and Trails in Cincinnati and selected the most suitable one for my needs. But it was odd, having pouches on each side of the main compartment with no closures. I asked the sales rep, “What are these for?”
She didn’t know.
A few days later came the inspiration, probably from Tristan, to take his little penguin on our trip since we were going so close to Antarctica. The open pouch turned out to be perfect for carrying the bird–it would give him a perch for a perfect bird’s-eye view of the whole trip.
Jason, and many people we encountered, loved it.

Dream Trip

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     I lost my 19-year-old son Tristan to a heroin overdose in June 2015. My younger son, whom I will call Jason, still managed to graduate from high school a year later.
     College, however, was difficult for him. To inspire him to attain graduation, I told him his gift would be a trip. I asked Jason, “If you could travel anywhere in the world, what place would you want to visit?
     He told me, “Patagonia.”
     I thought, “How am I going to manage a trip to Patagonia? I have never been south of the equator, don’t speak Spanish, and am concerned about internet access. And Jason has never been out of the country.”
     However, I later met a woman who had grown up in Argentina but lived in the United States. I told her about my son’s dream, and she said she was returning to Argentina and would be happy to be part of our journey.
     It took several years, but Jason graduated—and began working a salaried job. I was thrilled!
     So, in early March we boarded planes and finally arrived in El Calafate, Patagonia. At the last minute, on a whim, I decided to bring along Tristan’s small beanie penguin to symbolically represent him with us.
     I will be posting photos of our journey with Tristan’s penguin. I hope they bring you a smile.
beanie penguin
We decide to take Tristan’s penguin with us.