Five years ago today my dad died. He was a Canadian lumberjack in Connecticut. He fell about 70 feet and broke his neck. That was that...I grew up, my whole life, with him having accidents. He'd break his nose and set it in the tree he was in and keep working... a tree would fall on him and he's push it off and keep working... a branch would split his head open and he'd walk into the doctor's office unannounced and they'd sew him up and he'd go back to work... My life was spent seeing him bloody, broken, full of wood chips, hydraulic oil and full of life. He was NEVER afraid to do anything. Not that he had anything to prove, he just did what he wanted, when he wanted. Whenever, I get nervous or worried about something I think of him - what have I got to loose?
We have but one life this time around, we might as well do what we love and make the most of it!
He was never in a rush. He ALWAYS had plenty of time for anyone and everything. He'd try things like beekeeping without any experience and the results were comedic. One time he brought a hive of bees home from a tree he cut thinking he was going to start his own little hobby. Well, the bee's started swarming around the neighborhood! I was newly married at the time and remember calling my mom to check on things. She said "I'm drinking - your father's bee's are swarming, come on over!". Yup, when I get there, he has window screens duct taped around his head, duct taped gloves over his hands and he's holding a bottle of dish soap in one hand and a hose in the other. There he goes - running around the neighborhood hosing down the bees!
He was covered in stings! But he took it as a good sign that he wouldn't have arthritis. So he looked on bee stings with great appreciation. CRAZY! Man he lived everyday like it would be his last! He loved us more than his own life. He lived his truth no matter what anyone else thought.
One time, he left the house in the middle of a hurricane because an elderly lady called about a tree in her yard and how she was afraid it would fall on her house. It was a HURRICANE! He left without any worry or regard to his own safety to bring the tree down and calm an elderly woman. What?! I hear you say. Yes, that was my dad.
He died the day before Thanksgiving, Nov. 24th. That was five years ago. I was in Ohio visiting my in-laws when we got the call. All I could do was hold my head in one hand and the phone in the other while the world stopped and I tried to breathe. My father-in-law found a flight and managed to get me to Connecticut immediately. There's nothing like being partially stripped search at the airport when you're going home to see your dad's dead body. Talk about surreal!
The flight home was emotional. The poor woman next to me was complaining about taking care of her ailing mother then asked me who I was visiting on my trip. HA, she had no idea what I was going to say... "Well, my dad just died today from an accident. I'm going home to mourn him and take care of his body". Talk about a conversation starter!
When I get home, I see him waiting for me at the airport with his fuzzy, yellow sweater. When I get to the morgue, I see his broken body. That's the last time I hugged him and felt the enormity of his body... I saw him in the corner, almost in disbelief. He was surprised to be dead. He really thought he might get up. I heard him in my head and at that point, the room went into bright yellow, white light. I was blinded and felt heat in the back of my neck. He came home with us - me. He was with me. For the next five days while we waiting for all the state investigations to complete, he was in my head telling me what to do and where to find things.
It wasn't until my brother saw his body did he leave for the other side. He went straight to the light. He always knew that was where he was to go. He was waiting for us to release him.
My story goes on, but I'll stop there. In meditation last week, he came to me and hugged me. If there was ever a doubt that they are not with us after death, that is gone. If there was ever a doubt about God and His power, that is gone. His death saved my life. Even in death, he put his family first.
Thank you Dad for loving us that much. Thank you God for allowing us to witness his life and his death. I cry because of the experience of his life and his death. Both miracles to play a part in. I am so grateful for all of it.
I love you Dad.
Posts
