Dad...

He would be 80 years old today. Instead, as I mentioned before, he's eternally 41. I'm older, right now, than he ever got to be. Weird. How I wonder what he would be like at 80; how our lives (mine, Mom's) would be different. He missed all my graduations, mom's retirement and the golden years with her, my wedding to BikeBoy, Munchkin. He missed concerts and birthday parties, recitals and vacations, Thanksgivings, Christmases, Halloweens, anniversaries. He wasn't there to wipe away tears, to bandage skinned knees, to hug and cuddle me when I still so desperately needed it. He missed time. Time to be a husband, a son, a brother, a father, a friend, a grandfather, an uncle. He missed it all.

And what a great man he was. Kind, gentle, soft-spoken. Lean and lanky. He loved sports, especially baseball. He had a smile and a wave for everyone. He could sing and play guitar. He could yodel! He had a soothing voice and he smelled like the cologne "Canoe." He had beautiful thick dark hair and hazel eyes.

I miss you, Dad. I speak with you every night but what I wouldn't give to spend even an hour with you today, to get to know you--even briefly--from my adult POV vs the 6 yr old child POV from 1968. I love you.

Forever your little girl...oxoxoxox,
T