Today is Father’s Day, as we all know, and to those dads out there, I hope you have a great day with your children.
I will spend time with my two daughters, Tiffany and Ashley, and it will be a nice day whether the sun is shining or if we have rain, because, you know we need the rain. … not!
As for me, I will be missing my dad as I do every single day of my life since he passed away in 1996. Some days are easier than others but no matter what, the pain of him not being here is deep.
When he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in his early 50s, I felt very betrayed, sad, and angry. My dad was full of life as he captained his blowing league team and even served as president.
He was the commander of the Veterans Council at Tobyhanna for two years.
He successfully got the blood drives at the Depot off the ground and ran those for many years.
Dad loved his Pittston High Class of 1947 and even though he was not a class officer, he took it upon himself to run all the reunions. In his honor, I’m doing the same thing with my class.
As his father always told me, “Your daddy has always been a hard worker, often having two jobs.”
In addition to working at Tobyhanna, he worked at Pocono Downs for 18-years. A good portion of my adolescences was without a parent being home. Mom worked a 4 p.m. to midnight job at the cigar factory.
The three of us children had to grow up fast and leaving a million notes all over the house when she went to work was mom’s way of making sure things at home.
My poor dad never stopped working so often and when his life got cut short with his diagnosis, he never had a chance to enjoy life.
At this stage of my life, I feel the same way trying to put out a product like the Sunday Dispatch each and every week.
The newspaper industry is what it was when I was growing up and even though we had group of elder people living in Greater Pittston, even they are not buying the paper.
I don’t have set hours and my usual Friday is at least a 12-hour day for me. Weekends are never my own because things happen on the weekend and the majority of the time, I drop what I’m doing to make people or organizations happy to cover their event. When I don’t cover something, I feel horrible.
I’m about the age when my father passed away and that prays on my mind as well.
He spent the last 14-years of his life with Alzheimer’s taking every breath from his life at an extremely slow pace. It was like watching a candle melt down to a faint flicker then nothing.
We do put a lot of emphasis on Mother’s Day more so than Father’s Day and I get that, and of course I miss my mother, but there are days when I wish I could pick up the phone one more time and say, “Hey Dad, what’s up? Whatcha doing? Want to come over?”
I wish he were here for me to talk to, to get advice from, to heed his wisdom he’s gained in his life.
I wish we could go see a RailRiders game; his favorite team was the N.Y. Yankees and seeing the Triple A team would have been something he would have loved.
I would have loved to taken him for a ride in my sports car, although if he was still alive today he’d be 96 and that might not have worked. But, I would have figured out a way to get him in and out of the car.
To just go to his house to visit him one more time and sit with him. Knowing what I know, I would have cared if we spoke a word or if I just let him chat away, either would have been fine.
I’m not going to lie, after 29 years of him being gone, driving in the car thinking of him still brings a tear or three.
We all want to make our parents proud and I was no different. Some aspects of my life would definitely make him proud like being a journalist and photographer. But there are other aspects of my life that he surely would have shaken his head. Nobody is perfect, that’s for sure and nobody wants to be reminded of your failures, but that happens too.
My dad was always a cheerleader; a peacemaker and I think he would have stepped in to help me settle a few things.
I can only wish my daughters realize whatever advice I’ve given them, or help I’ve offered, I did and will do with all the love in my heart.
I hope they, one day, thing I was wise and only meant them well by supporting them in any way possible.
I love my children with all of my heart and as my days wane, I long more time to spend with them.
Yes, I do miss my dad every day, love him dearly, and look forward to seeing him again when the time comes.
Quote of the Week
“Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, storytellers, and singers of song.” — Pam Brown
Thought of the Week
“A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty.” — Unknown
Bumper Sticker
“Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.” — Anne Geddes
