now i know

Man of the house. Head of household. Father. Husband. Teacher. Leader. There are so many titles applicable to you. Your family was your life. Went to work each day, returned home each evening and there you stayed.

Taught me strength, courage, dedication. Taught me how to roof a house, mix concrete, lay bricks, change oil, change a tire and play horseshoe.

Represented the finest qualities to seek in a man. Represented the finest qualities of a man of God. At times you were not a man of many words, your actions spoke your meaning.

In your final hours, the last words I heard you spoke, you said to me, “you will find your answer”, I did not understand its meaning. Now I do. When you put your faith into the Lord, realize what truly matters is what is inside, then you are truly blessed. Jobs, houses, cars, worldly possessions are immaterial in the light of the Lord.

It took the loss of those items for me to focus my attention in the right direction. I possess those items again, but with a different perspective. There is no sense of “mine”. They just exist today and can easily be gone tomorrow. What matters is what is inside of me. My thoughts and actions represent who I am, what I am. A child of God.

At times I am saddened that you did not live to see me as I am now. Then I remember I know you are aware because of your presence in my dreams.

I thank you daddy for living your life as you had. I thank you for giving a daughter everything she needed in a father.

May your soul rest in peace.