Here's a column a did with Father's Day in mind. I cried a little as I wrote it, which I didn't expect. It was one of those things that changed directions on me.
I think remembering that drive hit me in a different way because while my own father isn't at the place where my grandfather was yet, he has aged in the last few years. The melanoma and the heart issues have taken their toll. And I don't know. It's hard for him and, frankly, hard for the people who love him.
Conference is going well. One of the unexpected pleasures of having done WIFYR for so many years is that I run into old students during the week. Their dedication and willingness to learn always inspires me.
Plus they're just a lot of fun.
2 comments:
Loved the column. I took my father on a cruise for his 80th birthday, and I was surprised to notice how old he has gotten. My interactions with him have typically been while hiking--an activity and environment with which he is very comfortable. This trip, however, had him completely at sea. He was so dependent on me to navigate things for him that it was like having charge of a small child who never wanted to leave my side. So unlike the man I've known growing up. As you say, the roles are reversing, but we can still be good to each other.
The article is beautiful. (So is your response about you and your dad, Radagast.) I know Mother's Day and Father's Day are essentially Hallmark Holidays, but I like them nonetheless.
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