Dear Dad

 

Dear Dad,

Today is your 20th anniversary since you departed this world.  I'm writing this letter and sharing it on my blog because I believe in my heart if you were still with us, this is what you would want.  I often think about what it's like on the other side of the finish line.  We have a picture of you from St. Alphunsus High School, Langdon, North Dakota, on our refrigerator door.  You and two of your siblings are in your football jerseys.  You are standing in the back row.  At 5'11 and 3/4 inches you are towering over the others.  Your twin, Mike, is squatting directly beneath you in the middle row and your older brother, Tom, is prominently displayed in the front row sporting large biceps developed from years of training.  Your brother, Dickie, isn't in the photo.  He was the first of your nine siblings to gain early entry into Heaven.  That must have been a painful time for you, your siblings, and your parents, to lose a family member early in childhood.  Dickie waited a long time to be reunited with you, John, Mary, Peggy, and Jimmie.  I miss all of you so much.  Give them a hug for me.  Thank them for the lessons they taught me.  Thank your parents too.  What a pair they were.  

Dad, I want to thank you for coming back to us in your final days when traveling was nearly impossible.  I thank the missionaries in Mexico who helped you get home  I want to thank you for giving me five siblings.  I also want to thank you for giving me a most excellent mother.  It hurt me deeply when you two separated.  It hurt went you left the US in search of greener grass to spend your retirement years so far away.  Perhaps that's why it was so joyful upon your return.  Those tears you spilled out of your ice blue eyes when we met at the airport upon your return really choked us up.  The marine in you apologized for being so overcome but that was one of the greatest moments in my life.  You showed us how much you love us even if words were sometimes impossible to say.

Thank you, dad, for sharing your writing gene with me.  I tried to force it out of my life because I thought writing was a complete waste of time.  It wasn't until I wrote my first love letter to my beloved wife that I began to understand your passion for writing.  The novel you wrote is still hidden away.  I never opened it.  Why?  Because it's the last part of you on this world.  I wanted something from you to hang onto.  I don't want your story on earth to end.  It's really silly but it's the truth.

Dad, I just want you to know what a difference you made by your presence in this planet.  I'm happy to report that all three of our children have your gift of writing.  Other relatives have been inspired to write books.  I'm now about a year shy of 5,000 blog stories.  Helen and I have shared more than 5,000 love letters between us.  Your legacy lives.  Your memories live.  Thank you for being my dad.  I will raise a toast to you when we visit Ireland this year.  May your soul rest in peace.  Have a great day.