Some people asked me why I didn't make Father's Day cards for www.anya-da-rucards.com
As they asked me this question I could hear my late Father's voice saying, " All these, what he called 'Hallmark holidays' (Father's Day, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day), should be celebrated everyday not just one day a year!" I couldn't agree more with my late Father and that is why I didn't make Father's Day cards for Anyadarucards.
After a loved one passes, these holidays can bring up a lot for anyone who has experienced a loss. As years pass, I've tried my best to turn these trying days into days of memory and celebration, days of lessons to be learned and shared.
This Father's Day I was on the bus in Alameda with a mason jar filled with freshly picked flowers. A gentlemen commented, " Beautiful flowers, boy is your father lucky to be getting those!"
For anyone who has experienced a loss there are often these moments that may be awkward. I have no hard feelings or judgements towards this gentleman who was just being a kind human being. In these awkward moments I often ponder what to reply. In the past I may have put my sunglasses on, said, "Thank you," and shed a few tears quietly. However, as the years have gone by I have tried to take these "awkward" moments and turn them into teachable and growth lessons. Therefore, to the gentlemen on the bus I said, " Thank you for your kind words about the flowers. I wish I could give them to my Daddy but he has passed." After a moment of silence or what seemed like eternity he replied, " Thank you for sharing. I know how you feel, my wife was given 6 months to live but she lived 5 years. She was a real fighter but in the end breast cancer took her."
As I scrambled around in my bag, I found my pouch with homemade cards. Yes, not only do I carry around essential oils (read my last blog about that) I carry around homemade greeting cards because you never know when you might need one! The only one left was an " I miss you" card. I handed it to Agasio( name changed for confidentiality) and I said, " I'd like to give you something I made." Agasio admired the card for what seemed like eternity. A tear ran down his face. He looked up at me and shared, " I'm going to write this card to my wife. Thank you. Boy do I miss her." By then tears were coming down my face.
This story is a beautiful exchange between two strangers, sharing their life stories about life, loss, love, beauty, remembrance and celebrations. Thank you Agasio for sharing heart with me!
I invite you to take this invitation to send or hand a card to your Father, someone you come across, someone you haven't connected with in awhile, someone you want to compliment, or someone in Agasio's case that you have lost and want to keep in your heart forever.
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