Brick by Brick: The Cool Travel Mom Journey & The Gifts of the Holy Ghost
The Cool Travel Mom Journey & The Gifts of the Holy Ghost
Motherhood changed me, but it didn’t redefine me. It added layers—of love, of resilience, and of faith. The birth of my first child wasn’t just a new chapter; it was the foundation of a journey that would shape me in ways I never expected. My husband and I had always been adventurers, never ones to sit still. Traveling while pregnant wasn’t an obstacle—it was a promise to ourselves: nothing would stop us from embracing life, from making memories, and from exploring the world together as a family. That’s how Cool Travel Mom was born—not from sacrifice, but from the unwavering belief that life’s greatest adventures include our little ones right beside us.
But my journey wasn’t just about exploring landscapes. It was also about navigating the unpredictable terrain of life’s hardest moments—none more profound than the months, weeks, and days leading up to my father’s passing.
Messages in My Dreams
A month before my father passed, I started having dreams. In each one, he was smiling at me. At first, I brushed them off as comforting illusions, but deep down, I knew better. When I dream of loved ones—especially in moments of transition—something within me stirs. My father had always told me, “Say the Rosary however you can, in parts, in full, but always start with the Apostles’ Creed.” So, I prayed. I lifted up each dream, each sign, to God. I didn’t know what was coming, but I knew I had to be ready.
Then, one night, I dreamed of writing my father’s eulogy.
I woke up shaken, but I didn’t tell anyone. Instead, I surrendered it to God. “Lord, guide me. If this is your plan, prepare my heart.”
The Moment Everything Changed
As the week unfolded, my father’s health started to decline. But his spirit? Unshaken. One morning, he told my mother and me that he had a dream of his mother. My heart clenched.
“Did you go with her?” my mom asked.
Silence. Then, a knowing smile.
I looked at him, holding back tears. “Dad, I hope you prayed. I hope you didn’t follow her.”
He just smiled. That smile—it was his way of telling me he understood, that he had a choice, and that he was preparing us, preparing himself.
The Call to Courage
A day or two later, as I was getting ready for work, my mom called out to me in panic. “Come check on your dad!”
I ran into the room. I moved slowly, carefully, not wanting to startle him.
“Dad, are you okay?”
He looked at me, defensive at first. “What are you talking about?”
I sat down on the floor in front of him, looking up into his eyes. “Dad, you know I know.”
Silence. Then, “What do you need me to do?”
“Let me check your legs.”
Hesitation. But then, trust.
I lifted the blanket, and my heart dropped. “Dad, you’re not okay. I need to call 911. Please don’t get mad at me.”
We had eye to eye contact in silence and then his words relieved me. The Word “Ok” was good enough for me.
I guided him to the washroom and jaw dropped, tears near to falling, blood everywhere. I started to just joke around with him and said, “Oh this is your payback for me ugh? Payback for all the wrongdoings I’ve done.” He laughed, I laughed, and I continued to clean the floor and wall with a big smile, yet held back tears.
He laughed again. That moment—him laughing, me kneeling at his feet—was one of the most profound moments of love I had ever felt. I looked up at him, and without words, we understood each other. When I asked if I could clean his feet, he hesitated, but when I looked at him again, he nodded. “Okay, since you asked.”
That was my dad. Proud. Stubborn. Loving.
A Strength Beyond My Own
At the hospital, I stayed by his side. I had never been one to volunteer for overnight hospital stays, but when my dad asked, “Rhee, can you stay with me?” I said yes without hesitation.
Inside, I was terrified. What if something happened? What if I wasn’t strong enough?
When the hospital tried to send me to the waiting room, I found the courage to advocate for him.
When the hospital tried to send me to the waiting room, I found the courage to advocate for him. “He needs me here. If he wakes up alone, he might get anxious. Please, let me stay.”
By God’s grace, they agreed.
The Final Goodbye
The next day, as his condition worsened, I watched a man who had spent his life showing us strength now show us the greatest strength of all—love, faith, surrender. He held on, making sure everything was in place, making sure we were ready.
His mission on earth was complete.
But his legacy? That lives on.
The Gifts of the Holy Ghost
Through this journey, I realized that the Holy Spirit was with me in ways I had never fully grasped before. Each gift revealed itself in the moments I needed them most:
✨ Wisdom – To see the situation through faith, not fear.
✨ Understanding – To recognize the deeper meaning in my dreams and his smiles.
✨ Counsel – To know what to say, how to advocate for my father in the hospital.
✨ Fortitude – To push past my fear and do what needed to be done.
✨ Knowledge – To trust in the process, to surrender to God’s plan.
✨ Piety – To turn to prayer, to feel God’s presence in my pain.
✨ Fear of the Lord – Not fear as in terror, but awe—a deep reverence for God’s presence in every step of this journey.
Brick by brick, experience by experience, faith and courage were built into me through my father’s journey. Just as Cool Travel Mom was born from a promise to embrace life with no limits, my father’s final days taught me to embrace even the hardest moments with the same spirit.
Family first. Faith always. And nothing—nothing—will stop us from doing the impossible with God by our side.
🙏 A Prayer for Strength & Courage 🙏
Heavenly Father, Thank you for the strength you give us in moments of uncertainty. For the courage to face fear, for the wisdom to trust in You, and for the grace to surrender when we don’t understand. May Your Holy Spirit continue to guide us, brick by brick, through every journey—whether it’s an adventure across the world or the path of letting go. Amen.
💛 If you’ve ever had to find courage in the face of fear, I’d love to hear your story.
Let’s lift each other up. Drop your thoughts in the comments. 💬✨
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