The series of pictures called "Days With My Father" by Phillip Toledano both broke my heart and made me smile. It's such a beautiful way to honour his parents -- I know this was about his father, but I think in honouring one parent, you honour the other too.
An excerpt...
It's amazing. My father is so appreciative of the love he receives. Each visit is an incredible gift, to him, and to me, as though we're both drinking deeply from the same well, for one last time. He's always talking about how much he loves me. What a genius he thinks I am. How glad he is that Carla is part of our (tiny) family. These are things he's never told me before. I'm so glad we have this time together.
This made me think of the very first time my mother told me she was proud of me, and the first time my father wrote the words "I love you" in a letter to me. I always knew how they felt, of course, but my parents aren't very vocal with their affections, so hearing and seeing the words felt amazing.
And I'll never forget that I was able to tell them and everyone I loved exactly how much I loved and appreciated them in my wedding speech.
I live thousands of miles away from my parents, and as they're getting up there in age, it frightens and saddens me that I won't always be there for them when they'll need me to be. I hope they know my sisters and I will do our best.
1 comments:
They know. :0)
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