My dad has been gone for over 50 years but he taught us more by example than by words. He was the most compassionate loving dad to both man and beast. During the depression (1936) he suggested to a neighbor who had lost his home that he could spend a few nights on our pull-out couch in the living room. That neighbor stayed three years and none of us resented him.
For years dad went next door to his fathers farm every single night at nine o’clock after the news to give the animals an extra bit of hay and grain and to check on their well-being. During cold winter days dad mixed mash with hot water for his hens saying, “they need something warm in their bellies”.
Neither mom or dad raised their voice or hand to us younguns. A word or gesture of disappointment from them for any of our actions hurt us more than physical punishment.
Mom was a stay-at-home mother and a RN so occasionally she would take on a private duty assignment as a favor to a friend or neighbor. Dad absolutely HATED this but saw the necessity. On one of these assignments, dad was reluctantly doing breakfast dishes when I showed him the egg he had left on the plate to which he told me, “ just put the dish in the cupboard. You’ll be having eggs tomorrow morning.”
At 85 years of age and after more than 50 years, I still miss dad.
They don’t make ‘em like that much anymore.
My Grandmother told Mom to never marry a man who didn’t love children or animals and she didn’t. It turned out well.
Mom’s parents have been gone right at 60 years and she tells me every Sunday how much she misses them.
Tradition, we’ll never make it without it.
“At 85 years of age and after more than 50 years, I still miss dad.”
Hurray,I finally found someone older than me——I won’t be 85 until September(God willing).
My dad has been gone for 79 years.
.