Thursday, February 14, 2008

“Sorry to hear about your Aunt…..

I hope you remember her in good times.” was overheard this Valentine morning as two friends were parting ways near the Sears Tower.

I walked along Wacker thinking about this romantic day, love and death.

This month marks the 7th year since my father passed away.

It still seems surreal.

Immediately after he passed, I experienced the punch-in-the-gut grief EVERY MINUTE for days; as that subsided I find that it was replaced with a tucked-away-sadness and an every-so-often longing for his voice, his smell, and his overall presence.

I can’t start to imagine how it has been for my Mom.

She married my father when she was the tender age of 16; and they grew up together (literally).

As we were all standing around his bed awaiting his passing…..we took turns saying our goodbyes out loud – when it came to my Mom’s turn – I believe this sums it all up:

“You were the best boyfriend I ever had.”

He was the only boyfriend she ever had.

The only man she has ever been with.

I read this morning about a local couple, Ida and Max, who will be celebrating their 75th year of marriage next month……

And I cried.

In the true sense of unselfish love - I applaud those few that can mark the almost-unattainable-goals of a life long commitment and undying love for each other.

my mother

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

great blog!
I lost my dad 2 yrs ago. Still brings tears to my eyes that I'll never talk to him again. But he left me with so many wonderful memories.
Still angers me how great people like my dad lose their lives (his to cancer) and all the rapists, terrorists and murderers remain on this earth.

worth

Susan's Snippets said...

Dilf - My sympathy...my father also died of cancer. He went from this mountain of a man, who could and would, drop and give you 80 military pushups, to a steriod inflated, shell of his former self. My brothers have struggled alot with his loss and find it hard to talk about still.

never will