Message To Dad

[Written on December 27, 2002 – by myself to my father, four months after his wife, my mother, passed away]

Nothing or nobody will ever replace your beloved wife.  You now have a choice to make as to what you want the rest of your life to be.  You have earned the right, through hard work and dedication to your family, to choose how you want to live this next phase of life.  There is only one thing that can fill the void which you now feel in your heart…and that is God.  God is all around you, within your heart, in your relationships, in your grandson, in your memories of your wife.  You have shown inclinations in the past towards a more spiritual lifestyle; however, the pressures and demands of your ‘real world’ responsibilities along with the corresponding anxiety felt by you, overwhelmed your sensitive spirit.  You have grown tremendously…God smiles upon you, like a proud parent does upon a model child.  You have served your family, the community, your patients, colleagues, and employer ALL ahead of yourself…in being so selfless, you have achieved a level of unity with God that few understand.  Whether you know it or not, you have been the most loyal of servants.

This is both your darkest and brightest hour, for darkness always precedes light and shows us the depths of our soul.  The spirit of your wife and the love the two of you shared will ALWAYS live on…as you can see, it has already breathed life into three children, one grandson, and all of the people that they touch throughout their lives.  You are now called upon to embark on the next phase of your journey.  With courage and conviction, you must shine the light of your soul forward, for hope and love spring eternal.  This life is not as separate as you think from what comes thereafter.  So continue your search and you will not be let down.  Settle the mind, and you will find peace within your soul.  The grace of God shines both upon and through you like a beacon of light.