A Poem for my Father

My Dad 

Lover of roses and lilacs

Lover of the color purple

Lover of music with a happy soul (i.e., Polka)

Lover of people, friendly to (almost) all

Lover of happy movies (i.e., “Sound of Music”)

Lover of knowledge and facts

Lover of honesty

Lover of food (always a hearty appetite)

Lover of style (always a “dapper” gentleman)

Lover of foreign words and phrases (i.e., “Gezundheit!”, “Arrivederci!”, “Buenas Noches”)

Lover of family (lucky me!)

From workaholic business owner, elder and minister

To PTO president, divorced and devoted dad

I am lucky to have known you my whole life--

To have listened to your foreign salutations

And Irish lullabies

To have heard you sing like Bing Crosby

And dance like Elvis

To have rolled my eyes at your memory for names (first and last!)

And teaching of scripture (forgive me)

To have listened in awe and admiration

As you correctly guessed all the answers on “Jeopardy!”

 

To have filled with pride as you spoke

To audiences of hundreds, sometimes thousands (maybe just once)  

To have filled with love as you soothed

My aching tummy 

To have filled with anger as you fought

For the love of your life (but forgot about me/us, your children)

To have filled with regret for so many things

Then slowly opened my heart

To have filled with forgiveness for you—and myself

Over time 

To have filled with sadness

When you had a stroke and lost so many of these memories

 

To be filled with pride

As I now recount your accomplishments to others

To be filled with love (and humility)

As I care for you

 
To be filled with anger

When it is overwhelming

To be filled with regret

When I act or speak out of anger

To be filled with forgiveness

Only by the power of the Holy Spirit 

To be filled with sadness

Knowing that I have to say, “Goodbye”

 

To feel these emotions every day is a blessing--

You are a blessing to me, Dad.

 

Thank you for being my father. 

I will always love you.