I thought this would be good for The upcoming fathers day. We will being in China bringing home our daugther which we are adopting from China on Fathers Day. Russ Rice Anchor Of Hope Ministries Lebanon Ohio > The Board Meeting had come to an end. Bob started > to stand up and jostled the table, spilling his coffee over > his notes. "How embarrassing. I am getting so clumsy > in my old age." Everyone had a good laugh, and soon > we were all telling stories of our most embarrassing > moments. It came around to Frank who sat quietly > listening to the others. Someone said, "Come on, > Frank. Tell us your most embarrassing moment."=20 > > Frank laughed and began to tell us of his childhood. > "I grew up in San Pedro. My Dad was a fisherman, and > he loved the sea. He had his own boat, but it was hard > making a living on the sea. He worked hard and would > stay out until he caught enough to feed the family. Not > just enough for our family, but also for his Mom and Dad > and the other kids that were still at home."=20 > > He looked at us and said, "I wish you could have met > my Dad. He was a big man, and he was strong from > pulling the nets and fighting the seas for his catch. > When you got close to him, he smelled like the ocean. > He would wear his old canvas, foul-weather coat and > his bibbed overalls. His rain hat would be pulled down > over his brow. No matter how much my Mother > washed them, they would still smell of the sea and > of fish." > > Frank's voice dropped a bit. "When the weather > was bad he would drive me to school. He had this > old truck that he used in his fishing business. That > truck was older than he was. It would wheeze and > rattle down the road. You could hear it coming for > blocks. As he would drive toward the school, I would > shrink down into the seat hoping to disappear. Half > the time, he would slam to a stop and the old truck > would belch a cloud of smoke. He would pull right > up in front, and it seemed like everybody would be > standing around and watching. Then he would lean > over and give me a big kiss on the cheek and tell > me to be a good boy. It was so embarrassing for > me. Here, I was twelve years old, and my Dad would > lean over and kiss me goodbye!" > > He paused and then went on, "I remember the day > I decided I was too old for a goodbye kiss. When we > got to the school and came to a stop, he had his usual > big smile. He started to lean toward me, but I put my > hand up and said, ''No, Dad.'' It was the first time I had > ever talked to him that way, and he had this surprised > look on his face." I said, "Dad, I'm too old for a goodbye > kiss. I'm too old for any kind of kiss." > > "My Dad looked at me for the longest time, and his > eyes started to tear up. I had never seen him cry. He > turned and looked out the windshield." > > "You're right," he said. "You are a big boy....a man. > I won't kiss you anymore." > > Frank got a funny look on his face, and the tears > began to well up in his eyes, as he spoke. "It wasn't > long after that when my Dad went to sea and never > came back. It was a day when most of the fleet > stayed in, but not Dad. He had a big family to feed. > They found his boat adrift with its nets half in and half > out. He must have gotten into a gale and was trying > to save the nets and the floats." > > I looked at Frank and saw that tears were running > down his cheeks. Frank spoke again. "Guys, you > don't know what I would give to have my Dad give > me just one more kiss on the cheek....to feel his > rough old face....to smell the ocean on him....to feel > his arm around my neck. I wish I had been a man > then. If I had been a man, I would never have told > my Dad I was too old for a goodbye kiss." > > I don't know about the rest of the guys, but I wanted > more than anything to put my arms around my Dad > let him know just how special he was to me. > > It is so easy to forget to tell people how important they > are to us, especially our parents. if you are lucky enough > to still have your dad around, then go and see him. Tell > him how much you love and appreciate him. And if you > can, put your arms around him, give him a kiss on the > cheek, and let him know that he is the most important > man in your life. _______ To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Eat the hay & spit out the sticks! - A#1's mule" RTKB&G4JC! http://rangernet.org Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
