It's been a while since I posted. Life is full of ups and downs but it is always a blessing, even in the downs.
Unfortunately, my father was very ill and has recently passed. It's now a new year, the holidays are over, and it's time to get back to daily life.
With this post, I'd like to share sentiments about life and my father.
Blessing. We were truly blessed as Dad had an extremely successful heart transplant 16 years ago. So while we are saddened to lose him, we are so happy and thankful for the blessing of having those additional years with him.
Here are a few things my father taught me:
My niece's list of things she liked about her grandpa included: when he called her biscuit, that he laughed when she hugged him too tight, that he would tell her stories about his early years, that he would sometimes say 'ah' after he drank something, how he would be picky sometimes, how he brought happiness to her days.
My brother told the grandkids to look to his siblings, their aunt and uncles, and they would still see their grandfather. He described each of us. He described that being with Brien is always Thanksgiving. That I, Aunt Karen, am the crazy one (and I say 'thank you'!)...brave, adventurous, and resilient. James is the strong and steadfast one. Tim is the builder. He skipped himself but I would say that he is the grounded & forward-thinker, with a big does of adventurous!
To be honest, I don't remember everything that was said which is quite natural.
Afterwards, many shared their personal stories about Dad with me. A young woman who wasn't going to graduate from school because she couldn't afford her final classes -- Dad helped pay for them so she could graduate. Many shared that he had been a father to them. Many shared how he helped them as they waited for and then lived with a heart transplant themselves. Friends of Dad's and friends of each member of my family attended ... from our childhood, our early adult years, new friends, those ex-boyfriends, adult children of Dad's best friend from childhood, ... the list goes on.
My father wasn't perfect by any shape of the imagination but he was definitely a whole lot of special.
And we were blessed to know him.
I will always miss him.
Unfortunately, my father was very ill and has recently passed. It's now a new year, the holidays are over, and it's time to get back to daily life.
With this post, I'd like to share sentiments about life and my father.
Blessing. We were truly blessed as Dad had an extremely successful heart transplant 16 years ago. So while we are saddened to lose him, we are so happy and thankful for the blessing of having those additional years with him.
Here are a few things my father taught me:
- how to use a hammer and not leave marks
- to be honest and do the right thing...always, because my integrity and character make up who I am
- to forgive -- forgiveness is a conscious decision and a two-step process: 1) mercy, not giving someone what they deserve; and, 2) grace, giving someone what they don't deserve
- always help others
- remain humble
- true leadership requires getting your hands dirty and making difficult decisions -- it's not leaving the dirty work to others while being more concerned with personal likeability
- prayer is a very powerful thing
- how to drive
- jump in and get it done
- when others decide to take the low road, stay on the high road no matter how difficult it may be to do so
- the power of hugs!
- and oh so many more things!
My niece's list of things she liked about her grandpa included: when he called her biscuit, that he laughed when she hugged him too tight, that he would tell her stories about his early years, that he would sometimes say 'ah' after he drank something, how he would be picky sometimes, how he brought happiness to her days.
My brother told the grandkids to look to his siblings, their aunt and uncles, and they would still see their grandfather. He described each of us. He described that being with Brien is always Thanksgiving. That I, Aunt Karen, am the crazy one (and I say 'thank you'!)...brave, adventurous, and resilient. James is the strong and steadfast one. Tim is the builder. He skipped himself but I would say that he is the grounded & forward-thinker, with a big does of adventurous!
To be honest, I don't remember everything that was said which is quite natural.
Afterwards, many shared their personal stories about Dad with me. A young woman who wasn't going to graduate from school because she couldn't afford her final classes -- Dad helped pay for them so she could graduate. Many shared that he had been a father to them. Many shared how he helped them as they waited for and then lived with a heart transplant themselves. Friends of Dad's and friends of each member of my family attended ... from our childhood, our early adult years, new friends, those ex-boyfriends, adult children of Dad's best friend from childhood, ... the list goes on.
My father wasn't perfect by any shape of the imagination but he was definitely a whole lot of special.
And we were blessed to know him.
I will always miss him.
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