Woke up this morning after seeing my dad.
Last night, old vacation photos popped up from May 2008 when my wife and I went out to Yosemite for our anniversary.
In the beginning shots of our trip we took an 'spur-of-the-moment' shot of us a local restaurant. That night I realized that was the last pic of my dad. I could tell from the picture his health was going down. I could see it.
Then this morning I realize the last image I have of my father was him lying in the coffin. He didn't even look like the the father I grew up, or had the facial features of the father I last saw.
The impact of that thought hit me hard this morning. I woke up with a sense of loss and during breakfast I was weeping - missing my dad.
Wished I had more pictures of him with him smiling.
The revelation at the moment was I lived like he was going to be around forever. Simon Cowell described his loss - and how difficult it was for him losing his father. Simon said, "....you think they will be around forever."
Death is unbecoming, unexpected and without compassion. It's rude. It's without remorse. It comes at the worse time.
Michele gently reminded me, "It's a year long journey of grief and maybe more."
***
The robins chirped. They knew Spring began - somehow.
And so it begins.