The Inn at Essex, Vermont

We were living in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and it was my brother’s birthday.  I found myself in the public library as I do on so many important occasions, and a book literally jumped off the shelf at me, Nicholas Sparks’ book, Three Weeks with My Brother.   I checked it out in honor of my brother’s birthday, went home and read it through.  It was nonfiction, and I hadn’t read any of Nicholas Sparks’ nonfiction before but in this book he chronicled a trip he took around the world with his brother, Micah.   Nicholas Sparks’ website summarizes it by saying, “Nicholas recalled their rambunctious childhood adventures and the tragedies that tested their faith. And in the process, they discovered startling truths about loss, love and hope…Three Weeks with my Brother reminds us to embrace life with all its uncertainties . . . and most of all, to cherish the joyful times, both small and momentous, and the wonderful people who make them possible. “ 

Ever since I finished this inspiring book, I have been trying to talk my siblings into spending time doing just that...having a sibling retreat.  All of us get caught up in the busyness of everyday life that it is easy to lose touch and lose track of the important people in our lives.  In order to prevent that from happening, families and friends have to be proactive.   

For the sibling retreat, the dream or the goal was to take some time to go away together and spend some quality time reconnecting with one another.  This year, we came really close.  With my big brother in Florida celebrating his granddaughter’s second birthday on the 4th of July, he couldn’t attend, but my sisters Tina and Pattie were very much in.  After batting around several different suggestions, Pattie, who was celebrating a BIG birthday on July 7^th, offered up her night’s stay at the Inn at Essex (www.vtculinaryresort.com) that she won from the Essex Booster’s Club Raffle.  Even though the main events of our retreat consisted of dinner and a movie and lots of laughing, it was perfect.  We even had my brother for a little bit during a late night Skyping session, so technically, he was with us for part of the retreat.  

I guess I don’t have any fancy Virtual Fieldtrip links to add to this Blog, but a plea to spend quality time with the ones you love while you can.  This beautiful idea of our sibling retreat came from a book, but my

extraordinary sisters made it happen!