I miss my dad very much, but I am grateful for all the years he lived, because he lived them well. I had a great father who was a loving husband to my mom, a wonderful granddaddy to my nieces and nephews, a dear father-in-law, a kind brother, a silly and trustworthy friend to his many long-time buddies, and a fun co-worker (and his other many, many, titles and roles). He was fun (hence, the party hat), smart, and rolled through life rather peacefully.
When I think about the years since his death, I reflect on what he missed. I remember that in heaven there are no more tears and no more pain. Some hard things have happened since his death. He missed events like 9-11 and the many tsunamis, hurricanes, and tornadoes. He missed divorces and deaths. He's in heaven which gives me great peace. At the end of life, what's done is done, but you hope to leave a legacy behind you of people seeking out what is truly important in life, and my dad did that.
If my dad was celebrating his 70th birthday here on this side of life, I bet he would be doing one of his favorite things. Or he'd be wishing he was doing one of those things.
Bruce's Top 10 List
1. Eating some good food.
2. Playing golf.
3. Spending time with his grandkids.
4. Watching a UK game.
5. Driving a fast car.
6. Teasing someone.
7. Underlining passages in his Bible.
8. Reading a John Grisham book.
9. Watching an investigation show.
10. Eating some more good food. :)
Happy Birthday, Daddy!