Many layers of grief, worry and sadness on this day. Missing my Dad, coming to terms with who he was, and wrestling still with the leftovers of that relationship and how even today I see myself struggle with commitment, love and belief that I am loved. All of that has an impact on my life with John.
For John too. Missing his Dad, sadness over his kids anger at him, hoping they will get it that he had to leave their mother to save his own life. But they are kids—men really—but with our parents are we ever not still kids?
But I have another layer of fear and sadness on this day. I worry about cancer too and how it might colors father’s day in years to come. Yes, cancer. I do the countdown in my head. I know the stats and they haunt me. He is well, yes. Beat the odds? We hope so. My deep fear for his kids is that someday they will have regrets over having missed the last three years of John's life--out of pride or because they wanted to make a point or they could not let go the grip of man-to-man testosterone-fueled “rightness”. I have anticipatory grief for them and I wish time to fly so they can catch up before it is too late.
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