Thursday, August 25, 2005

Dad's Birthday

Wow . . . I just remembered that today would have been Dad’s 79th birthday. He passed away back in 1999, in May, while in Wahiawa General Hospital recovering from a mild heart attack due to his prostate cancer and a mess of other ailments typical of his age group. Little did we know he would be wanting to head for the bathroom on his own and dropping dead.

It took weeks before we could bury him. Family flew in from all over the country to say their farewells. I gave a very brief eulogy while the other speakers spoke like preachers. Later that night, after the funeral, I took some of the flowers I removed from his grave and went to the end of the jetty in Waikiki and laid them in the ocean to say a final aloha. I didn’t shed any tears that night. I just felt Pop was okay. I felt okay that night. Peaceful.

So, today, I remember Pop, and I still feel okay.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

How come you didn't cry?T

Skip Alidon said...

I was kind of surprised myself when the tears didn't flow. All I know is that everything was fine, even though my Dad was gone. He wasn't in any more pain. He was so sick. I miss him.