Chosen II

hoping you hear

my whispers, that I still

hold you in my heart.

You could have chosen

a son, but didn’t. It

never stopped you from

doing the things that you

would with a son. The

evenings we’d go searching

for night crawlers, for our

early morning fishing trips

at the lake. The Saturday’s

mom was busy, you’d take

me to the barber shop, I’d

watch with fascination and

a bit of fear when you’d get

a shave. You loved boxing,

I’d watch it with you when I

got older even though mom

disapproved, you’d tell her,

“she needs to learn to defend

herself.” then wink at me,

we’d laugh as co-conspirators

would. Aside from all

that, I miss your gentle ways

never raising your voice in

anger, explaining when

you do that people stop

listening, that was also a

lesson in patience (you

showed a lot of it when

teaching me to drive, I

laugh at the memory of

your worried expression)

as well. He said you needed

it to stop your anger, I only

understood that as I got

older. He’d explain that

life isn’t always easy,

however each day

is a new beginning,

so I shouldn’t despair.

These bits of wisdom

have helped me

navigate through life,

coming from a

man of few words.

I never saw anything

but love for me

in those ice blue eyes.

He’d see a reflection

of his in mine. His smiles

and hugs always lit up

my world as a child.

As I grew so did my

admiration for this

quiet man, my father

whom I loved.

lg 160619

*Footnote:

The first photo is from the day I met my parents for the first time.

Dad liked Doris Day this was one of his favorite songs, he’d like to sing it, for you Dad

My Father was a passive man,

always advocating for peace. This

came from living through WW II in Poland. 🌎✌🏻❤️🕊