Today is my daddy's birthday - he would have been 76. We lost him 4 years ago - just 11 days after his 72nd birthday. Our tradition after my mom died was to have my dad a birthday celebration. Most of the time we all went out to eat, but in the past couple of years, we usually had a cookout. I remember the last cookout very vividly. I took several good shots that day of my dad and of my dad and my girls. If only I had known that would have been our last celebration, I would have spent more time sitting by him or taking more pictures.. I remember sending the pics to a friend by e-mail and she remarked how great and healthy my dad looked. I guess looks can be deceiving. We never really know what the cause of death was. He went to bed one night and just never woke up. Even in death, God is good. My dad never wanted to go in some traumatic way, he always wanted to go peacefully and he did. The sad way about that kind of death, is that it is sudden and no time to prepare like when my mom died....although, I never really prepared for hers even though I knew it was coming. My dad had become our focal point after my mom died. He liked for the entire family to get together to go out and eat a couple of times a year. Even with our busy schedules, most of us always carved out the time to go. So while he is gone, I can look back with no regrets in spending time with him....although I wish I had called and checked in on him more often.
I remember when my dad died, I had the feeling of being an orphan. I know how that must sound because I was 45 at the time with a husband and two grown children. The thing is nobody ever loves you like your parents. No matter what happens in your life, you can always count on them. And when it is gone, it is gone forever.
Happy birthday daddy - you are gone, but never forgotten.
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
Proverbs 23:22
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