This past Sunday, I had one of my best days ever.

The day was so great because I spent time with the two most important people in my life – my mom and my husband Bruce. We were celebrating my mom’s 76th birthday and we whisked her away to one of her (and my) all time favorite places in the world – Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY for brunch and a day enjoying the grounds.

We started going to Mohonk back in the 70s, long before it became so trendy and upscale. It’s a family resort that was started by the Smiley brothers and is a beautiful oasis in the Catskill mountains. Back then, my family used to rent a cottage for a week and we’ve revel in all the activities that Mohonk has to offer – paddle boating, fishing, minature golf and miles and miles of hiking trails, many leading to Sky Top, the lookout over Mohonk that gives you beautiful and awe-inspiring views.

On Sunday, after eating ourselves silly (yes, that’s right even I can sometimes overdue it!) and enjoying every last bite, we walked the grounds. We visited the beautiful flower gardens where I swore I’d get married someday and we hiked around the lake. And of course, we enjoyed afternoon tea and cookies.

One of the reasons the day was so special, in addition to being a perfect fall day, was that Mom and I got to reminisce and reconnect with the past.  There’s something about revisiting a cherished place that holds special memories that’s just priceless, and Mohonk is just that.  But what I loved best was seeing the look of pure joy on her face as we sat on the terrace, watching the water in one of Mohonk’s many rocking chairs, simply taking it all in.

As you can imagine, Mom had a great time and couldn’t thank us enough. But in the end, we got the greatest gift, the joy of creating a special day for her that was so memorable and all about reconnecting with the past.

How do you reconnect to your past and what makes it memorable?

Filed under: Family and Friends, Relationships