Tuesday, February 20, 2007

On the Death of My Daddy


At the end of every life comes death. On February 9th sometime between 10:30pm and midnight my Daddy quietly slipped away from us while he slept. He was 59 years old. He battled 7 years with cirrosis of the liver and finally felt it was OK to go. Hours before he was surrounded by many loving members of his blended family.
This is the first time in my life that I have lost someone so close to me and I don't think I have ever had to deal with anything harder. My dad tried really hard to befriend everyone he ever met. During his memorial service I came in contact with alot of people I had never met, they all had nothing but great things to say about my Daddy. It made me feel good to know that he was loved and admired by so many people.
My Daddy taught me many things throughout my life. Most importantly he taught me to be accepting of everyone no matter who they were or where they came from. He taught me how to love, the value of life, to keep an open mind, to use my head in every situation, that traveling was frustrating but in the end always fun, to forgive, that choice is an inalienable right, that change is hard but almost always is a good thing, that family is not only who you share your DNA with but the people who love you most, that you can be silly and smart at the same time, to appriciate the outdoors and take advantage of nice weather, how to have a hell of a good party, that friends are something to be valued, that it is OK to cry, that sometimes you have to take command over a situation when no one else will, to be proud of my indivdual talents, to live and let live, that freedom is something to be valued and appriciated, that sometimes you have to learn things the hard way, and finally how NOT to manage my finances. (haha Daddy).
He left me with his charminly crooked nose, my strong but gentle hands, his great head of hair, my bad eyesight, my voluptous figure and finally his quick wit and endearing sense of humor and sarcasam.
I regret that he will never see me get married or hold my childeren on his big tummy. I also regret all of the years we were apart because of a stupid disagreement. But I am thankful for the time we did spend together.
I loved my Daddy so much through the good times and the bad times (there were plenty of both). He gave me my life and has influenced me throughout in positve ways. I LOVE YOU DADDY AND I MISS YOU SO MUCH.

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