Six years ago this morning, Heaven gained an angel and I lost my daddy! I guess I tried too hard to ignore this fact today, but sadly it caught up with me this evening. I really don’t feel much like reporting on the events of that day 6 years ago, so instead I have another twist.
I guess what I can say today, now that 6 years have passed, is things haven’t really improved all that much. Some things are better, but other things are worse. If Daddy was still here there’s a good chance I never would have left working at the grocery store and I would probably still be able to get less expensive health insurance. I can also guarantee that I might have a dress by now.
A dress? Wait, but you’re a tomboy! Let me explain. Daddy and I had made a deal about one year before he had to go to Oklahoma to have treatments. I had just been told it was almost eminent I would develop diabetes at the current rate I was going. There were a few things that could change that and one of them was lose weight (which involved changing my diet and implementing exercise). Daddy had told me if I’d lose the weight, he would make me my dream dress. I have yet to find an accurate representation of what it would have looked like, but Daddy would have known exactly how to make it as he and I were able to communicate very vividly to one another a lot that most people can never understand. I suppose it has to do with the fact that we are/were both very visual people and artistic. Daddy also said he would teach me how to sew more. As it stood (and still does), I really don’t know much about sewing. I only know what to do when the machine is fully loaded with thread, the patterns are cut, and I do not need to do button holes. I’m sure I could do it if I just had the time to put into it.
I’m also sure that if Daddy was still here, I would know how to swim. Don’t get me wrong, I know how to tread water and keep myself afloat (more or less). I just don’t know how to swim any length of a pool; I attribute this to not being confident in myself enough to continue swimming lessons and very afraid of drowning. Daddy had me swimming (with some light support from him holding me under my torso) about half the length of a public swimming pool (I made it to the 6 foot marker before getting too tired and had him pull me back to the shallow end).
Lastly, I would have kept animating short movies in my spare time to entertain everyone. I also never would have let my bedroom fall into such a horrible disarray (as is now).
I’m sure he would have told me how proud of me he is that I called emergency/rescue services when he fell, that I graduated so close to honors from the animation program, and that I finally have lost about 40 lbs. since graduating with my first college/university degree.
Anyway, I’m grateful I had Daddy for 25 years!
God, bless us — everyone!
Christy
Travelers on the Road 