Monday, October 27, 2014

Happy Birthday to The Adoring Husband

April 3, 1948
"Peaches and Cream" and "Luscious": pet names Dad called Mom on a regular basis.  I don't ever remember her calling him other than by his name, "Harold".  As children we were tremendously embarrassed when Dad would kiss and put his arms around her after every meal....maybe she was too because her reply was often, "Give me a towel!"  And my husband wonders why I'm sarcastic.....
2000 Cleveland at their first apt.


As with most personal remembrances, perspective changes as we mature.  What embarrassed me 30-40 years ago I now find endearing, even a precious treasure.  We grew up in a small town where folks got married and had children (in that order) and stayed married.  Divorce was unheard of:  or at least my romantic memory does not remember it.  All my friends lived--- by all appearances--happily with both parents in the same home for their entire childhood.  Idyllic? Yes.  By today’s standards? A fairy tale.


2006 Shenandoah Nat'l Park
With my parents, though, it was real.  Devoted.  Respectful. Committed to each other.  They traveled the world to six of seven continents, experiencing things most people only dream of or read about.  We all have dreams.  I have been blessed to live a dream where my parents cherished and adored each other. They didn’t agreed on everything and sometimes they even lost their temper.  But it meant they kept working.  Kept loving.  Kept honoring each other.  Kept caring for each other.  Even when dementia laid final claim to Mom, Dad cared enough for both of them and kept her alive much longer than she would have chosen.  63 incredible, indelible, inconceivable years they remained together. 

In the physical absence of the woman he loved best and misses most, we say, “Happy Birthday, Dad!”  We love you and thank you for the gift you have given us of yourself and especially the example of adoring and honoring your wife, our Mom.  You are one amazing man!


1 comment:

  1. Nicely put, Mary. Brings tears to my eyes. Love the pictures too! Thanks for expressing such sentiments for the rest of us also.

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