Just a few short weeks ago my father had a dream. That morning I went to his room early to see if he needed his pain medication. The cancer he was battling had already shattered his left leg and was having its way with the rest of his body. Unlike other mornings when he was sitting on the edge of the bed in pain, this time he was still laying down next to my mom. He had a look of happiness.
He told me about his dream. He was taking a group of children on a field trip, to see Jacob's ladder, the ladder to Heaven described in the Book of Genesis. He sang songs with the children on the bus. He took them to see the ladder. And when some children were lost, my dad said he went to find them and brought them back.
Then he smiled at me and said,"… and I was walking!" You see, the cancer first took away his ability to walk without pain. Then it took it completely away. In his dream, Dad was walking again!
I saw God in my dad's eyes and face that day. Not figuratively, mind you, it was real. When he first told me about his dream and again later when he told my mom.
I thought back to when my dad taught Sunday school. He taught for many years and not just while his own children were attending, but long after. As a kid, it was strange for me to be in a class taught by my father. I was somewhat embarrassed.
That was a common feeling for me growing up. My dad was a photographer who was a wedding photographer and liked to take pictures of scenery. My dad was a salesman. He sold cameras for a living. My best friend Jimmy's dad was a photographer too, except he worked for the police department and was a police photographer. For a kid, that's some tough "dad" competition.
My dad was in the Korean War and was a platoon leader. He rarely spoke about it. My friend Norman's dad was in WWII and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Norman had lots of stories.
I learned a lot about my dad recently. I learned I really didn't know him at all.
So many people would come up to my dad these last several months, recognizing him from his days selling cameras. After more than 15 years, people who were complete strangers would ask if he used to sell cameras at The Fair or one of the other stores he managed. I hope he always noticed how proud I was to hear that. How many sales people do you remember from yesterday, never mind over a decade ago!
Last Thursday my dad made a very difficult decision. With cancer winning the battle, my parents expressed a desire to stay together and we, their children, made sure it was so. The nursing facility had asked Dad earlier in the week if he were to get sick, did he want to go to the hospital. He had said yes, he wanted to go to the hospital if he got sick.
Well, he got very sick on Thursday. I asked if he wanted to go to the hospital or stay at the nursing facility with Mom. He decided without hesitancy and without question that he wanted to stay with my mom. He repeated his wishes three times to the nursing facility. He did not go to the hospital.
My mom held his hand day and night as the illness progressed. Dad spoke with more and more difficulty, in both clarity and thought. He seemed to be selling cameras one day. He was on a ship or a cruise the next. Last night my brother and sister told me he was singing "Row, row, row the boat" and "You are my sunshine". This was confusing to all of us, my dad played keyboards but I don't remember him ever singing.
I now know why he was singing. He lived his dream today. I know because he told me tonight. He brought the children to Jacob's ladder. They sang on the bus. He found the lost children. He brought them to Heaven, just as his life had taught him to do. My dad is filled with joy. My dad is walking again. My dad is there, holding my mom again.
Dad passed away earlier today. I'm proud he is my Dad.
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