October 30th, 2016

It is a beautiful fall Sunday afternoon, there's a slight breeze and if you close your eyes and listen to the sounds, it takes you to another time and memory. I hear the birds high in the "tree of life" in our back yard, the distant hum of a hedge trimmer, airplanes overhead, the wind in the leaves, and the dryer exhaust.

​The normal every day sounds of life. But today I'm feeling nostalgic and the sounds take me back to my childhood. I'm in my front yard staring up at a Carolina blue sky and loving the brilliant colors of autumn again​st the deep blue. The hum of a motor comforts me because it means my Dad is busy in the yard and the churning of the dryer and clank of pots and pans is a sign my Mom is busy and a delicious meal will soon be on the table. I have no worries, life is simple.

​Nostalgic because today would have been my Dad's 88th birthday. I've missed him for 36 years. I miss him more today than ever , because now I know how blessed I was. I especially miss the adult conversations we never experienced.

​Yesterday while going through some old papers I found a list he had comprised of goals he wanted to accomplish. His first and last are my favorites:

• ​To do my best to live a Christian life every day.
• To grow up with and try to understand my children.

He accomplished the first - he set a wonderful example for me and my three siblings of how a Christian treats others and follows God. Sadly, he died when we were all young - the oldest 17 and the youngest 11.

​Despite the difficult years that followed the loss of my Dad, I know that Gods hand was upon us and with us all our lives and the values my parents instilled in us are with us to this day.

​Thank you Daddy for a life, however short, well lived. Praise God for giving us loving, caring parents and for guiding us through those turbulent years. You never left us and sustained us by showing us Your great love.

​As we leave October and head into November I'm reminded of all I'm thankful for, and my Dad is one of those persons who made a tremendous difference in my life. Who is someone, living or not, that you are thankful for because of the difference they've made in your life? I'd love to hear from you.

---