Image by Joe Shlabotnik via Flickr
Over twenty years ago today, my life was changed the day my Daddy left his earthly shell and captured his heavenly crown.
It was a Thursday evening, and I was in my apartment at Georgia Southern in Statesboro when the telephone call that would rock my world.
The call came in and it was a simple request to come home because something had happened to my Daddy. I had to tell my friends I was leaving
early for Augusta. In the dark of night I drove the 80 miles from Bullock County to Jenkins County to Burke County and finally to Richmond
County…home.
All I could think about was the times my Daddy and I had spent together. I was in my senior year at Georgia Southern, each time I got into my
Chevy Sprint and started to back down our driveway, my Daddy was slow walking me down and making sure I had everything and verifying my
graduation in the Spring of 1990. Our time and those talks are seared in my mind and are fresh like it was yesterday. I am glad I had those memories
of my Daddy and there were countless others in the years we had as father and daughter.
Every year as the seasons change and the time changes, I am faced with this day of remembering when my Daddy graduated from earth to heaven.
Time passes but the void in my heart remains, I miss my Daddy like crazy. When I think about him, I try to stay in a happy place and think of the
good memories (there were so many).
The poem below speaks volumes to how I feel…
ODE TO CLAY
Memories of Daddy flood my mind
He was truly meant to be a one-of-a-kind
A positive presence for the world to see
Forever he was pushing us to be the best that we could be
Always concerned about what mattered to each and everyone
Never would he quit until the job was done
A friend to all who came into his path
Always poised to make you laugh
A heart of gold, he gave freely to family and to friend
On the man most called “CLAY” you could always depend
God fearing, hardworking, compassionate, strong and loyal to a fault
Traits passed on to his family, so many things to us he taught
Oh how the years have passed yet his memory does not fade out
At times when I need my Daddy, I wish to him I could shout
A word of wisdom, a smile of encouragement or a big hug to calm my fears
Just to find him jingling pocket coins next to his rings would ease all my tears
So much I long to tell you in a lengthy heart to heart
I LOVE AND MISS YOU a great place to start.
6/19/09
©Yolanda “YoTrip” Triplett
Please support efforts for awareness during the month of November
November – National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month
For more information visit the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association
www.alz.org
November – American Diabetes Month
For more information visit the American Diabetes Association
www.diabetes.org
November – National Hospice Month
For more information visit the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
www.nhpco.org
“Soaring Towards Heaven in 2011″
The Sky is Limitless…
Orlando Renaissance Writer’s Guild, Inc.
2011 *”Writer of The Year”*
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