Sleeping Bags

When most of us think of sleeping bags, we think of warm, cozy, camping, cloth, nothing really sentimental but hopefully good fun memories.  I am beginning to realize on this 6 month anniversary of my Dad's death, how many things he touched in my life.  I feel like the ripples of the pond that is my life, just keep clashing with life.  Someday maybe it will settle back down again, but will be never the same again.  The shoreline has changed, and I have a new island in my life pond that is the rock that was thrown in of my Dads early - to me - death.  Anyway - back to sleeping bags.  When I was little I remember my Dad and older brother coming home from a camping trip - winter scout camp - where they had both froze!  They did not have good enough sleeping bags and got very cold.  I remember Dad, going out and buying 2 warm sleeping bags. One was huge - the other a warm good quality sleeping bag.  He got teased about the huge one by all of us, simply due to its size, that is, until one of us went camping or hunting or something when it might be cold and we asked to use it.  I don't think any of us ever were cold in it.  Neither was Dad.  He had wanted to not get cold camping!  Fast forward several years. . . . . After being cold once while camping Dad wanted to help others avoid that plan.  I know of several boy scouts and others who he either straight out bought sleeping bags for or gave them some work so they could get a good warm sleeping bag.  Last year at hunting season we were talking about sleeping bags and how it was probably about time to get one for my son, a good warm bag.  We didn't go to Cabelas that day and get one, but we talked about it.  This year as hunting season was rolling around, I realized that  getting a good warm bag for him had not got done last year.  While he has a sleeping bag, if we are ever in a place where we think he might be cold, he has always used my sleeping bag.  It is one Dad bought with me before my first Mongolia trip.  It is a WARM -30 down bag.  I love it.  Never have gotten cold in it.  It just wasn't the same going shopping for a sleeping bag with my son.  I felt like someone was missing on our shopping trip.  I know it sounds silly, but it was how I felt.  Yes, life will go on.  Yes, he has a nice warm bag.  But it was just kind of an odd thing to realize and think about.  Something that ambushes you.  Sleeping bags - Who would have thought!