Father Time
I’m a truly lucky guy. My wife said “Yes” to my all-important question many years ago and we’ve built a wonderful life together. The woman she became was, in large part, an accumulation of life experiences with a father who set the finest example of how to treat others that I’ve ever witnessed. In the 40 years I’ve had the pleasure to know him, I can’t recall a time that’s he ever raised his voice in anger to anyone. Not once, ever.
I do recall thousands of times, however, that he made others laugh through a vivid story or a joke well-told. I’ve seen him face tough times stoically and somehow find a way to keep going, without complaint. I’ve seen how much he loved his children and encouraged them to become the different adults they each aspired to be. I was grateful to hear him say “Yes” when I asked him for his daughter’s hand in marriage. I experienced him ‘adopting’ me as a father when I lost my own far too soon, many years ago. I watched him exemplify “The Golden Rule” in business dealings, when it would have been “easy”, or some might even say “advisable”, to go another way. I saw him stand with family to honor the life of a grandson who died in military service to our Nation. I’ve seen the very best of human nature embodied in this remarkable person and hope I’ve learned a thing or two from him along the way. I’ve loved him as a son and a son-in-law.
The gift of “Father Time” through the years assured that advancing age would not allow chronological time to take away his priceless gifts to others. Instead, those gifts are embodied in his children and have accumulated in the lives of those whom he touched.
The picture associated with this post is one of my all-time favorites. I think you’ll know why…
Tempus Maximize!
