Summer is gone, Winter blows

**

I looked out today in the throes of the Midwest season to see the myraid colors of oranges, reds, yellows and green leaves decorating the country side. It's breathtaking during a pause from life.

Another part of the year is changing, and time passes by. You know, it's amazing...you don't really notice how magnificent the colors are sometimes because you're too busy, too worried, too pre-occupied. BUT when you pause...the beauty you find even in the leaves falling!

***

Dale S.: Loyal father, loving husband, WW2 soldier, and Michele's grandfather, passed away suddenly today.
Dale never lived like a pre-occupied life. He knew what mattered.

Before Dale passed away, he left the magnificent words "I love you son" to Michele's dad.

It was the finest example of the human experience in the most difficult of times.

I think of God's mercy, and grace on Dale's life and he was a fine man.

In the short time, I got to know Dale - I could tell immediately he was a special man, and one with values. He'd look at you straight into your eyes as he shook your hand. He was calm, he was vocal about his values and full of cordiality. I remembered the day I was engaged to his granddaughter he made a public announcement at the retirement home. He was proud and glad his granddaughter was engaged - I was flattered. And you cannot help, but think with a special warmth when he played cards and talked about diamonds. He was sharp as a tack on cards, nothing got past him. Don't even try to pull a fast one on him. And his voice would boom with excitement talking about diamonds since he use to sell them.

And the caliber of Dale as a father? Look no further than his son, my future father-in-law. A great father and grandfather.

Another of 'The Greatest Generation' is gone.

In God's mercy, I didnt' miss any of the beauty of a new season to come. Not even this one leaf falling, that marked the change of another season as it danced a whirl of beauty into God's hands.