My Father

After a period of 53 years I still miss my father. I only knew him for a short twenty-four years but I loved him with all of my heart. I was the fortunate child in our family because he chose me to be his farm helper. Not every girl gets to work side by side with their father on a farm like I did. Perhaps at the time I didn't view it as a learning experience but in looking back I can see that many of my talents and skills originated from things I learned on the farm. But more than anything I reveled in the opportunity to experience nature on the farm with my father. I can remember watching a thunderstorm develop over the southern mountains and then work its way towards the farm. I could keep working until I felt the first raindrops and then my father and I would find shelter in the truck or under a tree or behind the hay stack. We would silently crouch there together and watch the rain spash in the puddles and listen to the thunder roll. Even now when I smell the freshness of the earth after a rainstorm these memories flood back to my mind in a flash. I can remember the wild animals that passed our paths often; the blow snake, the skunk, the butterflies, an occasional weasel, a porcupine, rabbits galore. They all brought a sense of wonderment to my world and my father seemed just as excited to see them as I was. Every day I would look up and watch a pair of eagles soar through the sky on a breezew that kept them up without movement from their wings. I knew they were eagles because my father told me so. I don't remember receiving lectures or wordy discourses from my father but he taught me much by example and by his patience. I made many mistakes when I was learning how to drive a tractor and herd cows and harvest hay but I can never remember being scolded. He would just smile and encourage me to do better the next time. I am looking forward to the time when I can introduce my father to my wonderful family and let him get to know the grandchildren he was beginning to love when his life was shortened by a sudden illness. I know you will love him like I do.