Lost my dad April 23, 2007.
I spend a week with him early March 07 and we both knew that was the last time...we celebrated his 74 years of life and the times we shared outdoors hunting and fishing when I was a kid, when he was a kid. He lived his last years in northern Idaho, while I needed to be in Southern California. I "busted him out" of the old folks home for a few days and we were just free spirits being buddies.
Good man, although he had his faults like we all do. Big barrel chest of a man, took me until I became a man myself to figure out the reason for that barrel chest was to contain such a big heart.
While I miss not talking daily with Dad I'm happy that his suffering and pain is over with. Last years in life were not the greatest quality of life for him. He cared from me in the early years and I cared for him in the latter...
I've never learned more from any other human being in my life, then what I learned from my Dad. I can not say that what I learned from him was the always by the greatest example. Much of what I learned from observation of him was what not to do. Learning still counts though. I've not ever met anyone so "in my corner", so concerned about just me as a human being.
The last lessons I learned from my Dad centered around compassion, the dignity of growing old, like it or not. We all start out in diapers and if left long enough, will end up in diapers. We all need love and caring during our stay on this rock. The circle of life,,,one trip per paying customer. Days are numbered for all of us. The sun travels just as fast at high noon as it does at dusk, although it's at dusk when we notice just how fast it really travels. Ever watch the sun set over the horizon? There is a fine line between when the sun is visible, ever so slightly, and then just gone. The fire is extinguished. The line between that last breath and no more breath. The day being over....at 10 AM high noon or 3 oclock in the afternoon it's tough to realize that the sun is still traveling plenty fast toward sunset. For all of us our allotted time is written in the book of life, exactly to the second. What we choose to do with that time, who we choose to love, how we treat each other, those are options we have control over. Be gentle with each other...charish that time left with your Dad.
He had a good death, God was merciful in his passing.
I lost a good friend on April 23, 2007.