Dear Dad,
I trust this finds you well. It’s been a while since we’ve chatted, and a lot has happened here. I’m mostly retired these days, and enjoying just the one rental cabin, and occasional weddings. I’m pretty sure this is what I’ll be doing the rest of my life, and this is where I’ll be doing it. I know you approved of the house and location. That means a lot to me. I think you’d be pleased to find me still in it, two decades later. Hard to believe I haven’t seen you in so very long.
I’m not here alone, though. You’d really like this fella, Dad. He shares your outlook about politics and personal responsibility. He’s a man of integrity, and being with him makes me happy. Plus a crazy happy dog has adopted us and keeps us young and entertained.
Mountain living has removed us from the insanity taking over the big cities in America. It would break your heart to see some of the things happening. You’d be proud of your grandchildren, though. They aren’t participating in the chaos, they’re all building productive lives, and your great-grandkids are healthy, loved, and being taught to respect life and hard work and a generous nature. Your legacy lives on.
I wish you could sit with me this evening on the porch. We could share a fine bottle of wine, and discuss the merits of a blends versus single varietal again, the talents of the winemakers and how to properly pronounce ’terroir’. We could take note of the stars, and decide once and for all if there’s other life out there and speculate about space and time travel. You could reminisce about your role in space exploration and I would listen, again, rapt with attention, trying to memorize every word.
And at the end, you could say, just once more, “Good night, daughter.”
Just once more. I’d sure like that.
Happy Father’s Day.
