My Parents, I miss them and am thankful for what they taught me!
My dad died in 2008 and mom in 2010 and I still miss them and have things I would love to share with them.
I am thankful…
that they gave me life.
that they made me go to Church every weekend and holy day. (I was not thankful when I found out that Thanksgiving and Ash Wednesdays were not Holy Days of Obligation)
that they made me respect my elders and always use their titles.
that they made me behave in public.
that they made me sit quietly in Church even if it was boring or in a strange language. When they were kids it was always in another language.
that they made me study and get good grades.
that they made me go out an play.
that they didn’t let me watch TV on school nights.
that they loved me more than they needed me to like them.
that they made us eat dinner together almost every day.
that they loved each-other and were best friends.
that they let us have a dog that turned out to be dad’s dog!
that they bought a VW camper so that we could see more of Europe.
that they paid for my college.
that they were always there for me.
that they always pushed me to be better.
that they encouraged me to read.
that they never let me give up.
that they let me tinker and fix things, even their cars.
that they shared their life and faith so freely!
that they made me look for the best in others to include siblings.
Could go on and on, but to Close
I remember early in the seminary that my spiritual director, Fr. Alex, asked me to talk about when my parents would fight. I said they don’t. He said, what about a disagreement. I said that I didn’t know because they always discussed differences when we were not around. He didn’t really ever believe me, but thanks mom and dad for an amazing life.
They put their marriage first, so that we always had a stable house to come home to. The only think that I could have asked for, was to have you with us for more time. You left us when you both were way too young!
I am thankful that your mom and dad were our dear friends, how your dad would rattle on about things I had no idea what he was talking about, how the four of us would wake up early at the Lodge and have coffee by the fire, how “One” was established to support your mom after your dad died, how your mom would call me in the mornings saying “How ‘ya doing?”, that I would go over in the mornings and rub cream on her surgery scar, and that we were given the gift of being with her for her last weeks on earth to just BE with her. That list could go on and on, believe me. I MISS her too!…..Amigo B
I miss them too. You were very blessed to have them as parents and I was very blessed to have them as friends. We can thank God for the blessings they were to so many people.
Padre, this is wonderful. I can share and feel all of the above . Would that all children could have loving and careing parents. I think of those in prison, who had to grow up without the love our FATHER meant them to have. Martha and I love you, and as I told you , we are so blessed that God sent you to our church family. Paul @ Martha Brinkmann, St Thomas More Parish