Vintage on line

This is my dad. I was 15 the last time I saw him, until this past July when my Mom died. Twenty four years. A lifetime of missed moments. I won't go into the details here. They don't really matter anyway. What matters is that we have worked through our history and talked about all of the things we needed to. There have been tears, understanding and forgiveness. What matters is that we have today and God willing, we will have tomorrow. What matters is that because of all we have lost we have a deeper appreciation for what we have gained.

I love this man. He is funny, hardworking, loving, affectionate, generous, and sweet. I miss him so much and wish he lived closer and that we could see each other more. He is an amazing dad, father-in-law and grandpa. All these years I knew he was missing out. I had no idea I was too. I know that had I not lost my mother in the way I did, I probably wouldn't be writing this. It's amazing how wonderful things can come out of tragedy.

What I know for sure is that life is too short. Too short to dwell on the negatives. Too short for pettiness, negativity, jealousy and meanness. Too short for not chasing your dreams and embracing the sweet moments of your life, big and small. Too short for walking through life unhappy when there is something you can do to change it. Life is too short not to live every moment.