Remembering Dad

I’ve been lucky. It sure doesn’t feel that way now, but this is something other people had to do well before they were my age. Like my father did.

My father was special. Sure, almost anyone else could say that but I go way back to around the time he became a father.

It was shortly after he became a husband.

The joke was always that he married my mom three months after they met, and I was born nine-and-a-half months later.

So a whole lot of things were new.

I think everyone knows I keep score, for good and for bad, but for him it was only the good.

He never said anything bad about anyone. 

I remember being the center of his world…

Showing me off at his office.

Driving me all over every morning when he ran errands.

Speaking to my classes every February for Dental Health Month.. and also speaking to my classes for Career Day when I was a teacher!

Fixing a flat tire in 12 minutes on our way to a fishing trip. When I did that kind of thing.

Visits to art galleries. That didn’t work out as well as my parents would’ve liked.

The trips to New York and of course the trips everywhere I worked. Too many places. Some easier to get to than others.

Him being able to smoke a cigar and blow out rings, which was surprising because I have a lot more experience and can’t do that.

Taking care of my mom when she was sick for so long.

The patience he had, whether it was doing projects, or trying to follow my mother’s orders. On time. Or trying to teach me something. Or trying to change my mind.

That patience wore a little thin when he was sick. The worst part for him, before he got really bad, was not being able to drive.

He didn’t deserve what he went through, these past few years. Nobody does.

I think he’d look at the glass more than half full, and consider many more good years than bad, and enjoying what he was doing.

I hope we’ll all be able to think that way, eventually, as well.

Thank you for coming.

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Written by Lenny. Delivered by Rabbi Ed Farber.