Most of you will not know the significance of this day in history, my history, at least. November 16th is my dad's birthday. I don't remember celebrating that day with him until his 60th one came. I remember him calling me and asking if I would fly over and spend the weekend if he sent me the airfare.
I was living in Houston in 1985 thinking all would continue along the same path it always had. I was excited about a trip to see daddy, to spend time with him. (Several times in the four months prior to that visit he had come to Houston to deliver products to some of the chemical plants on the channel and would come to my house and have dinner, he would stay at the hotel I worked at and we would have breakfast before I went to work and he left to go back to BR.) After the weekend was over he brought me back home.
That weekend he shared with me his life, his dreams for the future and plans he had made. I saw something in my dad I had not seen in a long time. Direction. In case any of you might think I wore Rose tinted glasses when it came to my dad, I did not. I knew him as few did. If you never had Pete Wallace invest in your life, you missed a great deal.
What I want to share next is for those who still have a parent living. Reach out and hold them, pick up the phone and call them, share yourself with them and let them share with you. You see, just about two months after our birthday weekend, around mid-January, a messenger brought the word that daddy had died. He had been working on clearing the field for his Christmas Tree Farm and had a heart attack.
I know we each have our memory of that day. The edges might be frayed just a little, but the subject is bound in our hearts. A love so deep it still directs our steps and those of our children. There are times I sob so hard just from the empty space in my heart that Les has to just hold me until the grief passes. Yes, 23 years later. Those times are fewer and further between and most often now it is with laughter and fond memories I remember him.
If you asked each of my kids what their most vivid memory of "Papaw Pete" is, each one would have a different answer. All would be of a gentle and non-confrontational nature though, I'm sure...what would each of you say???
I know I did a blog about him on father's day and posted pictures. I won't post them today. I will leave you with the thought that while he presented an exterior of toughness, he loved deeply and expected all he knew and loved to be treated with love and respect.
It is to him in large part that I have an understanding of love.
I pass that love on to each of you.
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I remember him sitting in the back at church. I remember going to Maurepas and seeing his piglets and wanting one. I remember him giving me the crawling baby that would fall and a Lite Bright. I remember opening Christmas presents at his house and swinging and going down the huge slide. I remember feeling sad the moment my mom answered the phone the day he died. Thank you for telling us about your birthday weekend with him and your memories.
ReplyDeleteAlma,
ReplyDeleteI tried to comment on your entry about your dad, but was unsuccessful. I wanted to send an email to let you know that it brought back great memories of the whole family. When the Lord chose to take our mother at such a young age, Uncle Pete and Aunt Johnnie stepped up and did what was needed to help us get through that time. I will never forget them for that. I will always remember the great times we had and even though we didn't really have much, we didn't know it so it was okay. God provided.
I remember great times at the camp with your dad. He loved to duck hunt and just go to the camp and enjoy a good time together. I remember some of the things he would cook at the camp. He would clean out the refrigerator and put it in a pot, along with plenty of hot sauce and tomato paste and it would end up tasting great! The only thing was it was so hot it would make you cry to eat it.
I can also remember him taking his shoe off and rubbing that old bad foot. He was a kind and gentle man with a generous heart. Thanks for sharing your heart and your warm memories of those great days gone by. I thank God each day for our family.
God Bless
Sam