My daddy was a hard worker at the Ford plant and a very busy man at home. But he loved his children, and he loved to take us with him wherever he went, whenever he had the chance.
When I was a little boy, I loved those trips to the hardware store (the paint-mixing machine always fascinated me); to Cheap John’s, where they had the world’s biggest pair of blue jeans on display; and, of course, to my father’s favorite fishing holes, and to the Ford workers’ softball games, and even ordinary errands that often saw us wind up with ice cream cones in our hands. I felt about 10 feet tall, the day my father’s friends let me play the outfield in one of their games.
It would have been nice to skip adolescence; but public education, over the years, taught me that the most important people in the world were my age-group peers and my “friends” (How many of them were false friends! And how long it took me to see it!), and that family was boring and stifling and not cool, not cool at all. And that was before public schools started teaching there wasn’t even any such thing as a family–or that “alternative families” are really where it’s at.
My father died some years ago. Which means my father lives: for the Lord has said so. And I hope he knows I love him.
January 11th, 2013 at 2:16 pm
How very true Lee..and isn’t it ironic that as we journey through our time here, that we often accumulate an abundance of friends,aquaintences and collegues..many of whom prove to be rather weak or false in our relationship..some even traitorous; and then again, if we are blessed we aquire some who remain loyal, faithfull and supportive thoughout our lifespan. These are to be treasured as ruby and diamonds..but..even the most precious cannot compare in worth, value or level of love and history that FAMILY does. It is truely sad, that we as a culture have lost, or rather yielded-up the gift of “family ties and commitment”…it seems as if ONLY the most recent of our immigrants..bring THAT tradition with them anymore..but given time..it also will be eroded and dispersed by OUR current tinsel-town “culture”. Cherish those memories of Dad…as I am!
January 11th, 2013 at 6:10 pm
It is always a pleasure to read articles in which a son or a daughter eulogises a parent, since all too often we are inundated with complaints and accusations about child neglect or even cruelty. Thanks
January 12th, 2013 at 1:29 am
Anything God makes is important. It took me a long time to realize how important family is because I lost all I had at the age of fifteen. Now, to me, my family of eight children are more precious than anything on earth. God is so good. He’s pretty smart, too!
January 12th, 2013 at 11:33 am
Fathers are getting to be an endangered species around here. Maybe because all our experts insist that “two dads” or “two moms” are better than anything God ever thought of.
January 16th, 2013 at 5:19 pm
interesting, touching and elegant reminiscence, Lee.
January 16th, 2013 at 6:07 pm
Thanks, Bob.