I am here to see my 94-year-old dad. I am scared this could be the last time I see him

November 23, 2016

“I am from Indiana and here to see my almost 94-year-old dad. His wife is 88 and they live in their own home and take care of themselves and she just had a stroke so he is taking care of her now. He still rides a bike to the grocery store. He is amazing and tomorrow is my last day with him. This is the second time I have been down here in eight years, so I don’t get to see him nearly enough. He adopted me when I was six and I am 61 now. My adopted mom and him divorced when I was 17. He is a retired fire chief and started volunteering with ecumenical ministries as a missionary. He has been to Russia nine times and has been to Africa. I look at him and I am in awe that he is still around and doing what he does but I haven’t been as close as I have wanted to be with him. His wife has other children and I feel like I was pushed away and have never felt welcomed. My dad talked with me about it this week and said we aren’t close as most families are and don’t talk often. I didn’t realize he felt like this. There has been a lot of tragedy in our life and the conversations we usually have together are memories. I am writing him a letter when we get home and tell him all that I feel about him. I met my original family and now have a relationship with my other sister who was given away. We were the lucky ones to get out and have a second life. I knew I was being given away and I remember the first day I went to my new home and I loved my dad from the moment I saw him. I am scared when I leave that this could be the last time I see him. I wish I had come sooner. I found some peace this week and I am thankful for every minute I have had with him. I am a caretaker for elderly people because it is like taking care of my dad. I never say no and people ask why, but I  would want someone to do all of those things for my dad. I hope I can come back again before he is gone. The last time I was here, my husband had just passed away from a long battle with cancer and I sat here by the water for a long time. I have been back several times this week. It is healing here. I know that every day is a gift.”

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