Yesterday was a reminder. A reminder about my Dad. A good man and a good father. I was reminded of the last time I spoke with him on this earth. That would have been in 1990. Some days, like yesterday it seems like only a short time ago. He was lying in a hospital bed in Florida. I had traveled as quickly a I could to get to him. I came into the room and said hello. We had a pleasant conversation about various topics, old memories and the good times. We avoided any talk of a serious nature. We both knew the end was near. He spoke with confidence and a certainty. There was no sorrow in his words. But in his eyes I could see a sadness. I had seen that sadness before, when he had to put down his dog, and I saw that same sadness when he spoke of the war. A sadness borne of understanding and acceptance. A resolve. A knowledge that this too had to be done.
That was his final lesson to me. Accept whatever fate is laid before you and bear it with resolve. There was no give in him. The steel that made him a man stayed true. There are things in life that we don't wan to do. Things that must be done. We have all heard the creed about accepting the things you cannot change. That is what was being taught to me. Taught by example. And that is what Dad did. He didn't just talk about things. He did what was necessary without complaint. He showed me that a quiet acceptance is the way of understanding. That one must ,of necessity, take action.
When the time came for me to leave I said goodbye. We shook hands, his grip as firm as ever and looked into each others eyes. He said, I won't see you again. My reply was, sure you will, if not here then on the other side. That last statement really came from him, that was his strength talking. I got the strength from him to turn and walk away.
I was blessed to have a man such as that as a father. Was he perfect ? Of course not. He was my Dad and I loved him. I am his son and he loved me. Some things men just don't have to talk about. Some things you just do. I am grateful that I got the chance to say goodbye. I am expecting to say hello again one day. we'll have a lot to talk about, but , knowing Dad, he'll want to be doing something. Maybe we can go clamming, he always did like that.
That was his final lesson to me. Accept whatever fate is laid before you and bear it with resolve. There was no give in him. The steel that made him a man stayed true. There are things in life that we don't wan to do. Things that must be done. We have all heard the creed about accepting the things you cannot change. That is what was being taught to me. Taught by example. And that is what Dad did. He didn't just talk about things. He did what was necessary without complaint. He showed me that a quiet acceptance is the way of understanding. That one must ,of necessity, take action.
When the time came for me to leave I said goodbye. We shook hands, his grip as firm as ever and looked into each others eyes. He said, I won't see you again. My reply was, sure you will, if not here then on the other side. That last statement really came from him, that was his strength talking. I got the strength from him to turn and walk away.
I was blessed to have a man such as that as a father. Was he perfect ? Of course not. He was my Dad and I loved him. I am his son and he loved me. Some things men just don't have to talk about. Some things you just do. I am grateful that I got the chance to say goodbye. I am expecting to say hello again one day. we'll have a lot to talk about, but , knowing Dad, he'll want to be doing something. Maybe we can go clamming, he always did like that.
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