Eight years ago on 11-11-02, my Daddy left this life. I still miss him when I walk into the kitchen of the house where I grew up. Thank-fully, Mother is there to greet me with her smile and usually a cup of coffee.

I once wrote a column about visiting my parents and enjoying the warmth of that kitchen and being able to sit with them in the late afternoon. I said how grateful I felt for the gift of having them being there to visit.

Things change and people we love move out of our lives. However, I learned that just because they are gone from sight does not mean the energy of their love is gone from our lives.

There are days when I sense my father with me. It happens in the most interesting ways. Suddenly some phrase he always said will pop into my head from out of the blue.

Something like, “Morning glory, what’s the story?” I smile knowing he is sending a little hello, letting me know he‘s fine.

Maybe I think this because my daddy was a spiritual seeker. He loved to study, think and ponder possibilities, something he passed to me his oldest child.

He always wondered and longed to know more about the purpose of living. He believed there was goodness in everyone and saw life as a blessing to enjoy. On the day he died, he said he was not scared, and that was a gift he gave those who loved him.

The other day it struck me that he left this life on 11-11 and that he was 74, which equals 11 if you add the numbers. Since the coincidence of the numbers kind of interests me, I wondered what if anything the number 11 means.

Of course, for an answer, I turned to the internet and this is what I read.

“Number Eleven possesses the qualities of intuition, patience, honesty, sensitivity, and spirituality, and is idealistic.”

I know that isn’t talking about the date of someone’s death, but wow, if ever something described a person that described my daddy. Everyone who knew him would most certainly agree. Then I read the rest of the paragraph.

“Eleven brings the gift of spiritual inheritance, is the “Light-Bearer.” It is the number of the Light within all.”

Now, I realize that this might mean nothing and is just wishful thinking on my part, but I like to think that maybe it is more.

Maybe even in the date of his passing Daddy left us a message of love and hope. That is so like him that the thought makes me smile, and I know that is what he wants me to do when I think of him.