If my father were alive today, he would be celebrating his 75th birthday. It’s a gorgeous spring morning in the northwest and the sun has finally come out. The cherry blossoms are blooming along with the daffodils and crocuses and the world seems to be waking up from it’s winter slumber. What a wonderful time of the year it must have been to celebrate a birthday.
When I think about my father now I can still remember his voice, his big hands and his bear hugs. I have moved past some of the sadness I had that our relationship was stuck in a difficult place for so long and we spent so many years angry and frustrated with each other. Luckily, we did resolve some of those difficulties but I wish it hadn’t taken until the end of his life to finally get there. I know how tremendously he loved me and have found peace with the journey my life has taken since he has been gone. His spirit and counsel guides me and when I close my eyes and need him he is still available for me.
As my stepmother and step siblings eat chinese food today in tribute to my dad, I will walk along the pacific ocean and remember some of our good times together. I also donated some food to the Sunshine Pantry.
Jack Lemmon says it best, “Death ends a life, not a relationship.” My relationship with my father has deepened and grown in the years since his death and I only wish I could give him one more of those great big bear hugs and tell him I love!
Miss you dad. Happy Birthday!
1,000 Mitzvahs 
I just read you birthday tribute to daddy. I loved it. I also love that you feel so good about getting the dishes. I loved them and was so pleased you wanted them.
Your step sister had a birthday party for Peter on his birthday. We all came, ate food that he liked and celebrated his life. The kids, only one of whom had a relationship with him, talked about him and said a prayer. It was wonderful and said great things about him that his step kids felt so much over four years later…he was a wonderful dad to them. Alex remembers him like it was yesterday and unfortunately Kylie was only two and only remembers the stories. Alex helped fill the grave at his funeral and if you remember, continued to fill it until it was level with the groud after people had stopped….We then had to help him.
It still feels as though he is here. I yelled at him the other day when I paid bills for not taking that hated job with him. I share new flowers with him as they open this spring. I get his recipes that I dont remember from my neighbor who always wrote them down and cooked them.
We were lucky to have him. He made the world a better place.
me