What a beautiful tribute @thekittygirl. Sounds like your father was a truly admiral man – it's no wonder you yourself turned out to be such a grounded, attentive and caring soul.
I imagine those final years of his life will always rest in your heart as the greatest gift, bittersweet though they may have been. There is such a beautiful frailty at the end – a delicate return to essence – a quieting of all unnecessary concern.
I'm so glad you were able to draw out his stories – to keep them safe and share them with others. Reads like a chapter in your memoir. I do hope you write that someday. You really are a lovely writer.
Of course, I love the faded old photos – sweetly intimate glimpses of a life well-lived.
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Thank you for your beautiful comment, sweetie. Yes, there is such frailty at the end, which I saw very closely: "a delicate return to essence – a quieting of all unnecessary concern" is certainly and accurate and rather poetic way to word it. Thank you, too, for the sweet words you had to say about me; I just hope I can live up to them. I appreciate your lovely thoughts so much...
The photo in the comment is pretty, too; thank you for the cheer!