I normally don't buy a newspaper... something made my buy one today. I opened the paper and "PARADE" had an article by Mitch Albom titled "If you had one day to spend with someone who's gone... Who would it be? What would you do?" First off I have to say I "heart" Mitch Albom. I read his articles even the sports ones - I dig through the archives which is much harder than it used to be, but I've done that in the past.
Anyways... I hadn't even gotten to the beginning of the article and I had tears rolling down my face - and as said before - I don't cry well, I don't cry often, and generally when I cry it's about being angry. These weren't angry tears... these were tears of answering that question in my mind. Then I got to the first paragraph and I cried some more. At this point D is looking at me like I've grown two heads. Then he looks at the article, nods silently, pats my leg. No words need to be spoken. He understands.
So... I'm going to ask you the same question that Mitch asked me this morning... and I'm going to give you my answer.
Who would it be? My dad.
What would you do? I'd hug him and give him a kiss and tell him I love him. We'd bake... we'd garden... we'd talk. I'd tell him all about the three amigos... all about my new job, D's new job... all about our struggles to have a baby... and I'd rub his hands for him, clip his toenails, and just spend time with him.
Just thinking about the impossible makes me cry... because I talk to my dad all the time - even thought it's been 2 and a half years. When I call my mom's house I wish that I hadn't missed my mom's first call. That I had answered rather than been in the shower. That I would have talked him into going to the hospital or at the very least I could have had one more chance to say "I love you." *edited to add - my dad knew I loved him - this was never a question - we never ended a phone conversation without those three words even when we were angry. However one more time would have been nice.
Now I'm going to go tell my husband that I love him too.
*Mitch Albom has a new book titled For One More Day - it will be in stores at the end of September. I plan on buying it. I also plan on buying a box of tissue to go along with it.
2 comments:
I bet you had years and years and years with your Dad where you showed him in many ways how you loved him. I would regret missing that phone call too, but try to take some comfort in all the good that went before. And your hubby sounds like a keeper for knowing without having to say anything.
Andrew
To Love, Honor and Dismay
And you know who I would chose. Such dear lives that have passed through ours.
Hugs, Sami!
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