Kelowna

So this past week I lost an uncle. He and his family have always been very close to ours, even though they lived in Kelowna. Thats why every chance any of us gets, we travel out to visit them. So when we learned of his passing it didnt take much to get us out once again. I was fully prepared to leave my job had they not let me go and Ive heard the same statement made a couple of times while being there.
There could not be a better word for this gathering then bittersweet. Even under such a sad occassion it was still so nice to see the whole family come together.
Kelowna itself was a complete dream. The weather was absolutely perfect. The earth remained green, as if fall had not yet found this place. The tempature was estimated to hit 27 degrees the first day and it wasn't even the nicest day of that trip. The nights were calm and crystal clear. I could have spent every last minute on my aunts balcony taking in that incredible view of the lake, the city and the hills that closed it off from the rest of the world.
There is a cycle that I go through everytime I find myself in Kelowna. The first day I am awestruck at actually being there. I dream of this all year long and won't be able to sleep the first night. The rest of my stay will be as if in an impossible dream. One I pray that no one wakes me up from if it is. The last day will be the absolute worst. The reality of having to leave this all and face the world again hangs over my head and makes it terribly hard to enjoy whats left of my stay. The trip out is once again made in utter disbelief, but this time in a state of sadness.
I only have one thought.
I don't want to go.
Even though Id be leaving my friends and lots of opportunity here in Edmonton I will always dream of being able to go to Kelowna and never having to leave it again.