Ahead of the Curve
Today is our father's, husband's, brother's, uncle's, and grandfather’s 67th birthday. The use of present tense is not a mistake. His strength, persistence, joy, lessons and love continues to weave it's way through the lives of those he loved and who loved him during his physical time on earth, and who continue to love him with each breath they are blessed to take.
Dad was a unique soul. He grew up with little but his mother Laura made sure he had immense love, security, and instilled in him the importance of education. A voracious reader, he always pushed himself to expand his mind and his soul. He used every moment as a teachable moment even when you hoped and sometimes prayed that he wouldn't. As i was driving up for his service in July, i started thinking about when he was teaching me how to drive. He and mom used to take turns once the other one's nerves were shot. The one thing I remember most was him instructing me on taking a curve in the road smoothly and with control. He would always say, if you look ahead of the curve it was naturally cause you to turn the wheel just the right amount so that even if you're going fast you'll never have to jerk the wheel. Just look ahead of the curve. I never drive without hearing those words in my head and as I was driving up to where we spent our lives as a family to put his body to rest, i realized that he wasn't just talking about driving, but about life.
Our parents fought long and hard as their parent's did before them, to give us the lives we've had so far because they both looked beyond their circumstances. They saw that there was more to life, to the world, to themselves as individuals than what was right in front of them. The little boy from Shaker Heights, who walked miles to school in the snow with cardboard in his shoes and his sister's hand-me-down red scarf saw beyond his situation and expanded his mind toward achieving the life he saw for himself. His achievements, lessons and devotion to family spilled over into all of our lives, daughter, son, nieces and nephews, we all share that same light that has guided and continues to guide us through our adult lives. His love, compassion and dedication to doing what's right, not easy, radiated through his actions and the lives he touched, keeps me believing that even when the world gets dark and ugly, there is still something genuinely good to hold onto. That love and kindness is the way we can truly continue to change and heal the world. I miss dad every second of every day, but his voice, his love and his lessons reverberate through the lives of those who loved him. Happy birthday dad.