to the man that made me...

if he would have lived, my father would have been 61 today.  he passed away a little over 3 years ago from the deadly combination that takes away many of our black men...heart attack & stroke.  my daddy lived the last 11 years of his life on dialysis.  his kidneys were damaged by medication.  however he never really complained.  every monday, wednesday and friday, he was driven to the dialysis unit where they cared for him until his passing.

before my father was sick, he was a teacher of mississippi history and civics.  he taught for 27 years before he retired.  shortly after retirement, he suffered his second stroke which distorted his speech and altered his memory at times.  i found that quite ironic....a man who devoted his life to speaking and giving through his voice had it somewhat taken away from him.  those around him knew exactly what he meant, but to strangers it sounded very foreign.   but he never let their misunderstandings deter him from getting his message across.   

my daddy was the one who taught me how to cook.  he made the best sweet potato pies.  hell he made the best anything :)  on weekends, he cooked at a deer camp every fall and winter until he got sick.  even after, he still could direct you how to make his pies.  daddy also was gifted with a green thumb which i believe has passed me by.  he could grow anything from a house plant to a garden full of food.  he had it. 

daddy also taught me what i should look for in a man.  while my parents were married, their shared household duties with one exception.  since he was a teacher, he arrived home first.  my daddy did a majority of the cooking, which my mom loved.  there wasn't a division of husband/wife roles in my home growing up.  i remember them working together to accomplish whatever needed to be done.  in the summers off, he did everything from delivering telephone books, mowing lawns at cemeteries and delivering avon.  that's what i call a work ethic. 

happy birthday daddy...i miss you.

Comments

[Angie]

Now that's a daddy! Thanks for sharing the memories of a good man.

[LaShonda]

That was a beautiful tribute...the love you have for your father is so evident in that post, and I'm sure that his example and the love he gave you shines through in everything you do.

[aquababie]

thank you ladies for your kind words. he meant a great deal to me.

[Mocha Sistah]

A beautiful tribute. I wish I could say the same thang, my daddy and I are at crossroads, but I know thangs will be fixed soon. He's right there in MS with you so don't be surprised if you see me down there pretty soon. blessings.
- M.S.

[aquababie]

mocha sistah! if you come down send me a hollah :) i think you can always make amends, if it's nothing serious