Happy Early Father's Day to my dad, who for years wore the hat of both mom and dad, who bought me tool sets and training bras, taught me how to fish, curse, and say excuse me, who gave me the courage to stand up for what's right, and the compassion to help others. Dad, you raised some kick ass kids! We love you!
Just read this on face book and since the world has seen it I assume it is alright to put it on this blog. I would hope the girl who wrote it would add a comment here. It is always wonderful to see the love between a parent and child at any age. I know this gal's situation and that makes it even more special. I confess it also made me sad.
My mom and dad were separated in age by 20 years. That may not mean much in this day and age, but back then things were different. The father's job was to earn the living and the mother was supposed to stay home with the kids. It did not work that way at our house. Momma helped with the farming when Dad share cropped. The 2 littlest kids were carried with her and the rest of us ran wild at home. Well, technically, Josephine was supposed to watch us and she did. She watched us play in the mud. She watched us chase the chickens and torture the cat. Donna poked her finger at a turtle and she watched us try to save her. But that was 65 years ago.
My father was a man who lived in our home. He had no patience for us kids. He was just there. I always envied the kids at school who could be seen around town walking with their father. Or walk past and see the father figure mowing the grass. A real sand and shovel memory if you get my drift.
It was not so with my father. I knew none of his relatives although I was named after his mother. He had 5 children from his first wife. A son and daughter died as infants from sand pneumonia and 3 sons were placed in an orphanage when his wife died. I assume she died. Two of the 3 surviving sons were adopted. Gene was not. I have letters he wrote to my father from the orphanage that tear at my heart. From the letters I learned that my father was never a caring man to any child he had. So it was never personal. Just one of those "It is what it is." things. Richard served during WWII and came home shell shocked. Today we call it PTSD. Earl married and had 3 children. Gene spent most of his life in prison and finally just disappeared off the face of the earth. He left a son named Billy who I remember only as a fact, but not a person I ever met.
My father never attended my wedding or acknowledged that there ever was one. But he surprised me. When I had my first baby, Debra Louann, he came by the apartment and looked at her. When he left I found a bib in her crib. For her 1 year birthday he had my sister Josephine make her a pretty red dress and bought her a pair of red patent leather shoes. I have a picture somewhere. I had forgotten all about that until I started this paragraph! He died before my second child was born. I wonder if things had been different if we could have actually been friends? Maybe....
But I can not think of that tonight. It makes me too sad. Life is just so full of missed opportunities. So full of roads not taken and choices not made. As I get older I think of all the things I should have done and all the things I should have said and I wonder if the good Lord let me live though all my past just so I could finally get it. Lizzie, I am so glad you have this time with your father and I envy you so much.
That having been said,
Just read this on face book and since the world has seen it I assume it is alright to put it on this blog. I would hope the girl who wrote it would add a comment here. It is always wonderful to see the love between a parent and child at any age. I know this gal's situation and that makes it even more special. I confess it also made me sad.
My mom and dad were separated in age by 20 years. That may not mean much in this day and age, but back then things were different. The father's job was to earn the living and the mother was supposed to stay home with the kids. It did not work that way at our house. Momma helped with the farming when Dad share cropped. The 2 littlest kids were carried with her and the rest of us ran wild at home. Well, technically, Josephine was supposed to watch us and she did. She watched us play in the mud. She watched us chase the chickens and torture the cat. Donna poked her finger at a turtle and she watched us try to save her. But that was 65 years ago.
My father was a man who lived in our home. He had no patience for us kids. He was just there. I always envied the kids at school who could be seen around town walking with their father. Or walk past and see the father figure mowing the grass. A real sand and shovel memory if you get my drift.
It was not so with my father. I knew none of his relatives although I was named after his mother. He had 5 children from his first wife. A son and daughter died as infants from sand pneumonia and 3 sons were placed in an orphanage when his wife died. I assume she died. Two of the 3 surviving sons were adopted. Gene was not. I have letters he wrote to my father from the orphanage that tear at my heart. From the letters I learned that my father was never a caring man to any child he had. So it was never personal. Just one of those "It is what it is." things. Richard served during WWII and came home shell shocked. Today we call it PTSD. Earl married and had 3 children. Gene spent most of his life in prison and finally just disappeared off the face of the earth. He left a son named Billy who I remember only as a fact, but not a person I ever met.
My father never attended my wedding or acknowledged that there ever was one. But he surprised me. When I had my first baby, Debra Louann, he came by the apartment and looked at her. When he left I found a bib in her crib. For her 1 year birthday he had my sister Josephine make her a pretty red dress and bought her a pair of red patent leather shoes. I have a picture somewhere. I had forgotten all about that until I started this paragraph! He died before my second child was born. I wonder if things had been different if we could have actually been friends? Maybe....
But I can not think of that tonight. It makes me too sad. Life is just so full of missed opportunities. So full of roads not taken and choices not made. As I get older I think of all the things I should have done and all the things I should have said and I wonder if the good Lord let me live though all my past just so I could finally get it. Lizzie, I am so glad you have this time with your father and I envy you so much.
That having been said,
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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