Good afternoon
I am Meta
I am the oldest
Today we say goodbye to the sweetest father in the world.
A calm, friendly, patient man.
A man who did everything right in his life.
He fell in love with a sweet woman, romanced her for six years, married her, raised four children.
He loved his family like crazy, adored my mother.
You could tell in everything he did.
My parents were a team.
Their love and humor was the glue that kept our family together.
Ours was a home full of laughter and nuttyness, much of it around the dinner table at night.
We were not rich by any means, but as children we never wanted for anything.
When we showed interest in a new hobby, or wanted to join a new sports club, those ideas were enthusiastically supported.
They shielded us from the ugly things around us and the world. We had a carefree, wonderful youth.
When we all finally flew the coop, and some of us moved to far away lands, that love and support followed us wherever we went.
The team was always ready to help us, the distances were never a hinder.
Papa was my hero.
I had a crush on him as far back as I can remember.
He could do anything, fixed everything.
His motto was: If I can't do it, it can't be done!
He once made this gorgeous doll house for me. I must have been 6 or 7 years old. It had everything. Real lights, a door bell that worked, and a little fireplace. He made the furniture, Mom made the little rugs and the curtains.
I destroyed that beautiful toy in no time.
Years later, when I had my own little boy who broke every toy he ever received, I really understood the love and patience with which my parents made that old doll house.
That understanding and appreciation stayed with me all my life.
Being the oldest I got to take swim lessons at my Father's swim team on Wednesday evenings.
I felt so important sitting behind his back on the big motor bike, my little legs tucked in the huge leather bags.
I was so proud of my Dad who was a swim instructor for the team. An athletic figure, that gorgeous black wavy hair, those hip little swim trunks.
On Sundays he would take me to watch him play soccer. He was a goalie. Much more important than the other players on the field. I loved watching him keep the balls out of the net.
With his dark outfit, those gloves, that black hair all messed up.
My Daddy was hot!
He taught me to play the guitar, how to sing. And he gave me the gift of appreciating music other than the Top Hits of the day.
But the most important thing I learned from him was to have patience. To have respect and be kind to others.
Papa was a man of a generation that is disappearing.
So it is with a sad but very thankful and loving heart that I tell him goodbye.
Thanks Papa!
Good Job! (two thumbs up)
I love you
And I will miss you
