If I could just talk to Daddy one more time

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, November 11, 2015

It’s been 13 years. Even as I type that, it seems strange and a little unbelievable, but it’s true.

Just past midnight on Nov. 11, 2002, my daddy took his last breath. There are times it feels like a lifetime ago. Other times, it seems like yesterday. Funny, how perception works that way.

I woke up thinking about my daddy today. As I scanned through what the world is talking about on social media, it occurred to me I’d love to tell my father what’s been going on since we last talked.

That’s when it also came to me that I could do that — just not face-to-face. So, here goes.

Good morning, Daddy. I hope all is well with you and that you got all of your questions answered. I’m sure it is and you did. Wish you could tell me what you’ve experienced in the last 13 years.

Well, since you can’t, I’ll tell you what’s up with me these days. Oh, where to start, what to include and what to delete.

First, I’m a yoga teacher now. I know — who could’ve predicted that turn of events. Remember when you made VCR tapes of that PBS yoga show and gave them to me. Guess you planted the yoga seed that is blooming in all of my classes.

Let me see; I’m 63 now. I know you always told me how fast time passes the older you get. Boy, were you right. Oh and you said you still felt 17 on the inside even though you were past 70. I get that now.

I didn’t understand when you told me you were content to hang around home instead of doing a lot of going. I get that now too.

The world is a pretty interesting place in 2015. You lived through 911 so you know about all the terrorist stuff. That’s still going on. Politics are crazier than ever. That’s the best description I can give you on that subject.

You would get a kick out of the things people get upset over. Right now, its red disposable cups don’t have snowflakes and reindeers on them. Seems that’s a sign someone is trying to take Christ out of Christmas. I can hear you laughing about that one.

You were so interested and intrigued by computers. Well, the internet is a wild and crazy place to visit. Remember how you played around with an internet telephone when it was the new thing. Wish you could experience Facetime.

Oh and you would love Facebook and Facebook would love you. All those “Thoughts for the Day“ you wrote would have a big audience on social media.

Mother and all of the kids and grandkids and great-grandkids are well. Of course, you probably know that. We share some of your favorite stories when we have a get-together. You probably know that too.

I wish I’d been there to say good-bye on your last day, but I know you knew, and still know, how much I love you. Mother told me on that last day, you said you weren’t afraid. Thank you for saying that. It helped me let you go a little more easily.

I want you to know I am happy. And I want you to know how much you contributed to that happiness with all the things you taught me, especially during the last years of your life.

Yes, I know you could be pretty intense when you talked about spiritual things. I realize now it was because you so wanted us to discover that internal happiness you talked about so much. I am learning more about that all the time and you had a lot to do with setting me on that path of discovery.

Daddy, what I really want to say is I miss you. We all miss you.

One more thing — I know I can’t talk to you face-to-face, but I know you are still around and that you love me.

Nancy Blackmon is a former newspaper editor and a yoga teacher.