Great piece, bro. Thanks for sharing. What a life-changer George was for you mom and her two children. I hope they add to each others' happiness.
My dad was a provider, but not much in the way of relationships. He had his friends, but neglected his family. Most of our time together when I was young seemed to involve some sort of discipline. We did have a few moments, but they were few and far between.
When we provided grandkids, he started coming around. And his best friend was an awesome dad, so he would be challenged and started realizing what he'd missed as a dad. This resulted in him calling me just to talk.
This built for a couple of years. I was a bit standoffish and perhaps bitter, though I started to come around. But I remember distinctly when my attitude abruptly changed... a lot of things changed.
He called me on a Thursday and we chatted for quite awhile. When we had to get off the phone, I remember that I distinctly felt regret that the conversation was over. I was enjoying talking to dad. It struck me at that moment, right there.
As it turned out, that was an incredible gift from God. I never spoke to dad again. He didn't make it through Friday. Almost 23 years later I can still feel both the joy of that phone call and the incredible loss that followed.
Wow. I have chills. No exaggeration. "Better late than never" for sure. I am so happy that your dad was able to build a relationship with you before it was too late.
You know me. I am hardly ever at a loss for words.... but this is too powerful. I need to quietly sit in awe for a minute.
I'll probably share the story a year from now, but maybe the following fall on the anniversary of his death. I'll be the same age he was when he died, so it really provokes a lot of thought.
Wow. It sure does. I remember when I hit 33 (That is when my dad died). I couldn't get over thinking how young 33 was. My life had barely started.
I look forward to reading your story when the time is right.