Today I found the speech that my father gave at my wedding. Of course, I heard it before, on Sept 3rd, 1989, but that was a long time ago, and I was pretty overwhelmed with emotions on the day. I remember crying at the time, but today when I found it, I cried again for completely different reasons. My father died in November 2013, but even before that he had lost the incredible intelligence and way with words that made him the man he was to Alzheimer's. But not the love for us. He never lost that. His eyes always lit up when he saw us, even if he didn't remember our names.
Finding this speech brought my father back to me and made me miss him all over again. But it also reminded me of how much of who I am is because of who he and Mom were. If I am brave, it was because Dad and Mom were brave. If I have the courage to stand up for what is right, it is because he and Mom were courageous.
If I have now found the love and support of a good man who respects my intelligence, it is because my father deeply loved my mother and respected her intelligence.
Fathers of daughters: This is how you do it.
I can definitely see your values in that speech!
ReplyDeleteI'm starting to think that it's not till our parents are gone that we fully appreciate how much of ourselves that we truly owe to them. And then we want to tell them that, and thank them, but it's too late. I thanked my parents for so many things, but I wonder if I thanked them enough for the really important ones.
Deletei understand you completely, my mom also saved every thing and became so emotional with so many things that i just boxed them till i could handle it, there were so many boxes that i am still working on it and each one is still an emotional event
ReplyDeleteThere's so, so much. Some of it important history in terms of the film business, some of it personal family history, but which tells a true tale of The American Dream, such as it once was possible, but I worry it may never be again.
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