Happy Father's Day Roy . . . .

It has been a few months now since I lost my father and I am still shipwrecked. I continue to relive the end of his life over in my head and can find little consolation. This is father's day weekend and it has prompted profound feelings of sadness. I will enjoy the smile of my daughter on Sunday, but I will grieve not being able to tell my dad that I love him and thank him for all the great times we had together.

My dad wasn't the most adventurous of men but he had his moments and always encouraged people to relish all the little moments of their lives. In the last years of his life whenever I was leaving my dad or just hanging up the phone, his always repeated salutation was "Enjoy, Enjoy."

My father loved poetry and the 17th century English poet Robert Herrick was one of his favorite. I share with you a few lines from Herrick's most famous poem which my dad often quoted.

Gather ye rosebuds, while ye may,
Old Time is still a flying;
And the same flower that smiles to-day,
Tomorrow will be dying. 


The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
The nearer he's to setting.


The age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse and worse
Times still succeed the former.


Then be not coy, but use your time,
And, whilst ye may, go marry;
For having lost but once your prime, 
You may forever tarry. 

Happy Father's day Roy, I miss you.