We were having a discussion about caring for our mother. Sometimes that is a very difficult thing for me to do.
"It's because you are just like daddy," Lester said.
No one had ever said that to me. EVER
Like daddy's side of the family -- short like grandma Lonnie and aunt Gloria. That's really about the only thing I'd ever heard.
"Well," Lester continued. "Mother was a submissive wife. What daddy said - although she sometimes bucked it a little (or a lot), always was the end of the story",
"You have taken daddy's place - you have to be the heavy. She chose not to argue with daddy. You are her child. That's a totally different relationship".
I've thought about that a lot. It makes sense now.
I've also started thinking about the other ways I am like daddy.
I have his hands.
I can be a wisecrack - easily. Everyone who ever knew our daddy also knew he always had some little cute response. Like the time, his pastor, Kevin Pound, teased him from the pulpit saying."Earl, wake Iva up" and daddy's response was "you put her to sleep, you wake her up".
Okay, I could have used a different way to say wisecrack.
However, daddy taught me to be a lady.
And there are ways I hope I am like him.
He lived by faith. One of his most endearing responses was "Everything's gonna be all right".
He loved his children and their children and their children. He loved his nieces and nephews. And everyone loved him.
He sometimes said no and then said yes.
And he left a wonderful legacy for us all.
Yep - it's okay by me
I hope I am "just like daddy"!
May your life be filled with enough Sunshine
to make you appreciate the Shadow
