Forever A Daddy's Girl
January 14, 1934 - January 10, 2000
Yes, I know, Father’s Day has come and gone. And I meant to have this post published in time for Sunday, June 15th. But I wasn’t quite in the right head space to complete it. After gathering all the pictures for my Father’s Day Instagram post, and adding the music to it, all the feelings descended upon me, and I was emotional for the entire day. I’ve watched my own IG Reel probably ten times since posting!
It’s been 26 years since my Dad passed, and since then I’ve learned quite definitively, that time does NOT heal all wounds… wounds of loss, wounds of the heart, wounds left from the loss of a loved one. But time does help you learn to deal with it better. And even though you may have become accustomed to it, it can still throw you off, and for the moment, however long, it feels like it just happened. Such was the case for me on Father’s Day this year, and after sitting with the grief for a little while, I came out of it. I let my mind wander pleasantly, and I imagined how he’d be now at 92 years old. Would he be a funny old man, yet still spry and “talking smack”, and still handling his business; still regimented in getting up before dawn for his quiet time, and still popping up with no notice? Side note: My Dad was notorious for just showing up; on campus when I was at college, when I lived on my own in Chicago, and when I moved to Atlanta… yes, all the way from Chicago! This is what taught me to “stay ready”, cause you didn’t want Mr. Bohannon to catch you slipping!
I wondered what he’d think of the woman I’d become, and I know he’d be incredibly proud, because I turned out EXACTLY the way he wanted me to; resilient, savvy, well-spoken and very resourceful; able to handle myself in any situation I find myself in, to think before I speak and act, and to be able to spot BS immediately. He wanted me to be able to stand alone and thrive, because somehow, he knew I’d need this particular skill set to live my life single in this world. I recalled when I was in my 20’s, he would purposefully leave me stranded places or decline assisting me when I was in a bind, just so I could figure it out. And I have to say, while it didn’t feel good in the moment, it achieved the end he desired. So much so, that the tables turned many years later, and he would call me for an assist or for some how-to information. I remember receiving one of my last calls from him to help navigate a situation, and after providing him the particulars of what he needed to do, he chuckled and said… “That’s my daughter. I knew you’d know!”
What I wouldn’t give to have my dad here, showing up out of the blue, or talk to me ad nauseum about what it was like to jump out of airplanes when he served in the military, and all the things that have changed so much from back in the day, or to repeat for the millionth time one of his favorite sayings… “You can please some of the people some of the time. You can please all of the people some of the time. But you can never please all the people, all the time.” Or when asked how he was doing he’d say… “It’s good to be here.” Or when people would complain about their circumstances he’d say… “It’s still good to be here.
I’ve shared a lot over the years on previous Father’s Day posts, like this one from 2016 HERE… and this one from 2019 HERE. I’m still so grateful for his presence in my life, and even though I’ve faced some pain, some heartache and some struggles in this little life of mine, I can hear his voice saying: “It’s still good to be here!”
We had the best dad ever!
We sure did Broski!