I Miss My Dad...!

Let me tell you a bit about my Father.

We started our relationship of father and son in a strange way. You see, it was a time of war! The Second World War, the Big One, the War to end all Wars! It had many different names, but like all wars, it did one thing...it separated families from their loved ones.

My mother and father were no different than many other young couples of that time.They married young, then shortly after were separated from one another.

You see, my Dad was in the navy. Shortly after their marriage, Dad left to return to his ship to finish the job he was sworn to do...to defend this great country of ours! He was gone a long, long time.

Back home, my mother discovered that I was on the way! As happens in time of war to many young brides, my mother was left to face the birth of her first born without her husband there for support.

Luckily, she had plenty of support from Dad's family and there was no shortage of baby sitters after I was born. I had a lot of attention. I had a lot of love. The one thing I did not have was my Dad. After all, the war was still going on!

My Dad missed my first haircut, my first steps, my first words. Mom showed me his picture every day and told me who he was. She told me yesterday that I wore out one picture looking at it so much.

Then one day, the war was over! My Dad was able to come home! I was 18 months old, and my Dad and I had never seen each other. Mom, with me in tow, went to California to meet his ship, along with thousands of other war brides. You can only imagine the crowds and the chaos, as so many husbands and wives tried searching for familiar faces in the massive sea of humanity!

Suddenly, there he was! Dad spotted Mom and I in the crowd somehow, and began to approach us with a large smile on his face. As Mom spotted him and pointed him out to me, I'm told that I reached out my arms and, though I had only seen him in pictures, said "Daddy!"

Over the years, Dad and I were not always close. I was young and stupid, and couldn't see how my Dad could know what was good for me. Luckily, that changed a lot as I got older. We finally got to the point where we actually talked about things. Great day!

The first time I shook my Dad's hand was when he drove me to the bus leaving for basic training. I asked my Dad to stand as my best man the first time I got married. I named my first born son after my Dad. He was a good man!

I would sure like to sit with him for a bit and share a cup of coffee,as he was a big coffee drinker as well! I'd like to ask him to share his thoughts on all that's going on today! I'm pretty sure that I know what most of his answers would be. After all, I am his son.

One thing I know without a doubt! If he were here, he would join us in reaffirming his Oath, he would be a Prepper in the truest sense of the word. In other words, my Dad would still be a patriot! As long as I knew him, he was true to his family, true to his friends, and true to his Country! My Father was a good man, a good friend to me, and a good American!

I miss him...a lot!

Now, let's get another cup of coffee, my friend! We can sit on the patio and toast to my Dad...God Bless Him!