"To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die."
~ Thomas Campbell ~
I found out yesterday that my father is no more. He laid down to take a nap, covered himself lightly with a blanket, newspaper and phone beside him on the bed, and never woke up. A pretty graceful way to go, and yet, the disruption left in his unexpected demise is profoundly unsettling. Life as I know it has been turned on its head.
Our relationship has been challenging, and I have learned from it, and grown through it, and I sit now empty in this sudden emptiness of loss. I am grateful to my Dad for being exactly the way he was, for all he taught me, for all he gave me, for his values, his quirks, his mysteries, and his heart.
I honor my Dad by taking a long pause in the wake of his passing.
(Blog posts will resume on Monday, March 12th)
