REMEMBERING DAD

 DAD AND ME IN 1951 - WITH HIS COOK COFFEE TRUCK

DAD AND MOM IN THE EARLY 1950's 

  

My sister, her daughter, and newborn granddaughter will be visiting today. We'll be meeting at Mom's care facility in a few minutes, and though Mom won't be aware of it, my sister and I will be thinking of our dad who passed from this life on this very date in 1972. There were four of us kids in our family and being the oldest, I was the only one dad had lived long enough to walk down the aisle and see married. The other three eventually married too, and all of us bore Dad and Mom grandchildren, but dad did not live long enough to see  them. He would have been a terrific granddad though. I sometimes imagine him with his grandkids - giving them piggy back rides, "horsey" rides on his knee, playing rousing games of croquet or ping pong, and enjoying backyard cookouts with homemade ice cream. He was a kind and decent family man but he was also a disciplinarian and I did witness a few temper flares through the years, but there was never any doubt he loved us completely and unconditionally. He simply wanted us to grow up to be kind and decent people. I surely hope he would be at least a little bit proud of us and our children and grandchildren today. I know without any reservation he would have loved his grandkids in the same ways he loved us.

 

We never know why we lose loved ones so early in their lives (and ours). Dad was only 49 when we lost him and our family has missed him for all these years, especially at family gatherings. We become wistful when a new baby arrives in the family and we all wish Dad was around to welcome it, but life goes on, as it's intended to. Dad would have told us to stop grieving and get on with living. He loved life and taught us so much. We love you and miss you, Dad. We're thinking of you today and always....