62 Hours

Christmas has come and gone now, but the memories of the last month linger, and will forever be sweet in my mind. One of the best moments was surprising my 89 year old Father by flying three-thousand miles across the country to bring him eggnog. I had been very concerned over the last few months, he seemed more tired than usual. I kept asking if he was celebrating the season, drinking eggnog, and playing Christmas music? Each time I asked he would say, "No, I need to get some eggnog!" After three weeks of this, I told my husband I needed to go to California for a couple days. I asked my Dad to make sure he was home on Friday between 12:00 and 2:00, because he was getting a delivery that he needed to sign for. When he opened the door, I was standing there holding a big poinsettia and a half gallon of eggnog. He looked as though he didn't know who I was! I said, "What do I have to do to get you to drink your eggnog?" Blank stare..........."Dad, you know who this is right?" "Nooooooo............." he said, "I'm trying to figure out how the UPS lady can look soooooo much like my daughter!" We laughed, hugged, and cried! We danced in our slippers in the kitchen to "Silver Bells," drank eggnog, brought out treasured old family holiday decorations, and enjoyed every moment. I was there for 62 hours....exactly. When it was time to leave, my Dad hugged me longer and harder than he ever had before. We shared "I love you's" and agreed that this had been the best gift ever, the gift of time together. I left at 4:00am, it was so hard to leave. Before I woke Dad to say goodbye, I made him a pot of coffee, washed the dishes in the sink, turned on his tree lights, switched the Christmas music on softly, lit a candle, and set out a Christmas mug with a banana and a muffin. I did everything I could to make him feel like I was still there, and a piece of me still is and will always be in California with my Daddy. 62 hours........the gift of time......how precious it is. When I landed in Boston I called to say I was home safe and he said......"It was a great visit. Do it again! Do it again!"