More than anything Monday morning,
I wanted to open the door
And see my dad's eyes sparkle,
Hear his wholesome laugh,
And feel his warm embracing hug.
All his life
He was like a magnificent waterfall
Tumbling
Free spirited
Full of energy
Full of beauty.
A breathtaking waterfall
That for a moment
Never lies still.
I admired him
In so many ways.
He was brilliant,
Humble,
And filled with boundless enthusiasm.
When setting out to climb a mountain,
He finished by climbing the entire mountain range.
When starting a race,
He completed a marathon.
And when loving this family,
He flooded our house with
Outstretched arms
And constant words of praise.
Three and a half decades with my mom,
He treated like three and a half months
He could not hug her, kiss her,
Or squeeze her enough.
And when we weren't close by,
And called on the phone,
He dropped everything
And for a moment
Made us feel like our call
Was the most special part of his entire day.
Every day I called,
Once, twice, sometimes three times
To share new experiences, exciting news,
Or sometimes nothing special at all
But whatever the reason,
He always made me feel
Completely, and unconditionally
Loved.
He made me feel
Like the most fortunate girl in the world.
He gave me everything:
All my happiness,
My strength,
My drive.
He was the strongest support
Behind all my biggest dreams.
Anything, he made feel possible.
And if ever I fell,
He was always just one step behind
To pick me up and
Guide me back on my way.
Daddy,
You are an incredible inspiration,
An extraordinary father.
I cannot imagine a single day
Without hearing your gentle voice.
It is as if you knew
To embrace the world
Every second, every day.
You taught us to be alive
And like a magnificent waterfall,
You will continue to be
The beautiful, driving force within us
That guides us through each day.
The endless energy
That will never, ever lie still.