Fathers and Finances
This
week in class our discussion was mostly about the importance of fathers. We had
a short week due to the Independence Day holiday, so we didn’t talk as much
about the finance portion.
This
week I would like to just remember my father, Ronald Glenn Wright, he passed away
to the other side of the veil three years ago on, 21 February 2016. My father
was the most Christ like person I have ever known. I remember years ago in a
blessing I was given, I was challenged to follow my earthly father’s Christ
like example. I miss him every single day. He was my rock, my best friend, my
cheerleader, and my example.
In
2015, about a year before my father passed away from liver cancer, my sister
and I found ourselves in a huge disagreement with a lot of hurt feelings. My
sister and I have always been very close and have always adored each other. Of
course, we’ve had differences of opinions in the past but it had never stopped
us from being closely connected with each other. This disagreement however, was
very different. We stopped speaking to each other for several months. My dear father
was heartbroken over this situation. Many times he tried to help us work it
out, but unfortunately my heart was stone cold. I remember talking with him on
the phone one day, as he was trying to help my sister and me to reconcile. Weeping,
I told him I was “through” with my relationship with my sister. I also told him
it didn’t matter anymore, I was “done.” Then he made a remark to the effect
that he was “not done.” I remember feeling irritated with him. He then taught
me a lesson about family that I hope I never forget. Though he was weak and
dying from cancer, he told me he would never give up on my sister or me. Creating
a visual example, he told me that if I were drowning in the ocean and being
pulled farther and farther out to sea, he would still swim after me and do
everything in his power to try and save me. He knew he was dying. And yet, he was
be willing to sacrifice what life he had left to save me. He knew the
importance of family, and somehow I had forgotten that in my own pain.
Months
later, as he lay dying, my sister and I were gingerly and carefully trying to reconnect
with each other again. My father refused to let go and pass on. Why was he
continuing to suffer? Why didn’t he just let go and pass through the veil? He
was in so much agony. Finally, my sister and I stood together at our father’s
bedside and told him he could go Home. We spoke of our love for him and that we
would miss him, but we would be ok. We told him it would take time for us to
mend our relationship, but we would mend it and everything would be alright. We
told him how much we loved him, kissed him and held his hands. We then sang of
his favorite hymns to him. My sister and I sang all three verses of “In the
Garden” to him. A few minutes later, he passed away.
I miss
my father more than I can ever say. He was my rock, he never wavered in his
devotion to family relationships. He was my best friend, he told me things I
needed to hear even though I didn’t want to hear them. He was my cheerleader,
he continued to encourage me to repair my relationship with my sister. He was
my example, he swam after me to save me from my stony heart.
I love you forever Daddy.
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