Thursday, September 01, 2011

The Birthday

My father turned 100 today!  It was a very long day for both of us.  There were a lot of nice visits and phone calls.  My father held up pretty well through it, but at the end of the day he was very tired.  I am not really sure what to make of a 100 year old parent.  I love him dearly and I am very glad he is still with me.  I have to wonder what it is like for him though.  Most of the people he has known who were his age are gone and he is surrounded by a world that is much younger than he is.  The world he knew and grew up in has long gone.

This fact was emphasized to me when my granddaughter had a school assignment for my father and me.  She asked us to write her a letter about our young experiences going to school.  I helped my father and learned a lot.  He was raised by his great grand mother (his mother worked and his father was very sick.)  The school had no electricity and was heated by a wood stove, nicknamed "old Smokey." They had a horse and buggy.  That was a different world!

Happy Birthday, Pappy!

Love,
Shel

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