No Mando Content
by
, Aug-15-2013 at 5:14am (4677 Views)
Just some thoughts, and they may go on for a while.
Visited the family last weekend in N.C., for a ceremony honoring my dad. For 25+ yrs., he ran the aquatics center for the local parks & rec. During that time, he had literally hundreds of kids 13-21 yrs old under his wing. He became a friend, confessor, mentor, disciplinarian, and huge influence on a huge number of them.I guess I never realized how big an influence until I saw so many of them come back from all over the country to see him, and show how important he had been in their lives. He's 77 now, and suffering from Alzheimers. Every time I visit or talk on the phone, I see this insidious syndrome take a little bit more of the man I've known. Any of you who have been thru it know what I mean.It hurts! He and my mom were married when they were 18, I came along about 1 1/2 yrs. later. I remember growing up surrounded by early Elvis, Everly Bros., and Ricky Nelson (highly underrated IMO). Coming from small town N.C., he was a pretty conservative guy, but never rode me as I ventured out, grew my hair, and turned into a late 60's-early 70's rocker. He and my mom tolerated my bass practice (at volume) into the late hours with no complaints.He even managed my band all through high school!Later, when I moved to Atlanta, they continually came down to hear me play, travelling around the S.E anywhere to hear us and show support.I can't explain how this unconditional love and support kept me going when I needed it most. We've stayed close thru the years, always able to just call and talk football, music, how the grandkids were doing (especially that!), and just stay close.That's what's really hurting me, I see so much of that being stolen from him, and it angers me! Nothing I can do about it, just enjoy the good days when they come, and try to show him some of the support he's always shown me. He is, and always will be my hero and my rock, and staring down the barrel of losing him is rough.
I guess the whole point of this ramble is: I don't know what your relationship is with your parents.Please take the time to let them know you remember them. You just don't know when it may end, or in what way. If you have kids, show them support in whatever they decide to do. You never know how it'll turn out, but it will be worth it to be a part of their lives. Sorry to carry on like this, but some of this has been waiting to come out. Thanks for putting up with me!