A LIGHT IN SOMEONE'S LIFE

 

Today marks the sixth anniversary of my father's death. I miss him terribly, as I do my mom. 

 

My husband and I were living in Southern California, ten minutes from the beach when they moved in with us in 2012. One of their favorite things to do was drive through the Dairy Queen for milkshakes, then go there and watch people surf and children play in the sand. It was a cherished time for two people still in love after being married 62 years.

Marie Wikle once said, "Be a light in someone's life today, no matter how small - you'll still light up their world!" That's what my dad did as he grieved the loss of my mom in 2014.

Her passing was a sad time for all of us but more so for him...she was the love of his life. A few days after she passed, he told me he was going to the beach. Knowing he wanted some private time to grieve, I didn't go with him. I began to worry a little two hours later, so I called his cell. He answered with such a sound of joy in his voice it took me by surprise. I asked him if he was okay, and he said, "I'm doing great, just listen." The sound I heard was the voices of happy children.

You see, my mom loved collecting beanie babies and had over 700, carefully tucked away in plastic bins. He had taken one of the bins to the beach, handing beanie babies out to children. He first got permission from their parents and some of them even offered to pay, but my dad said seeing the smiles of the little ones was payment enough. 

Sharing my mom's treasures gave my dad a great deal of comfort. When he arrived back home, I could see it on his face. My mom's light would not continue just in our lives but in others as well. So when my dad passed two years after my mom, my husband and I knew he would want us to do something special to honor him, and God provided us the opportunity.  

We were out and about one evening and observed a man pushing his adult daughter in a regular wheelchair. We asked them if a motorized chair would help, and both of them said, "it sure would." We told them my dad had passed, leaving behind a practically new power chair. We knew he would want us to give it to someone that needed one. The next day, the father came over to our house and took the chair, plus the portable ramp that went with it. Just like the parents at the beach, he asked if he could pay us something, and we gave my dad's reply, "Your smile is payment enough."  

We still grieve my parents, but their light shines on which brings comfort through our tears. Leo Buscaglia said it best, "I know for certain that we never lose the people we love, even to death. They continue to participate in every act, thought, and decision we make. Their love leaves an indelible imprint in our memories. We find comfort in knowing that our lives have been enriched by having shared their love."

Wheelchair racing💓

Dad and Mom at the Beach💓