My friend Greg Asimakoupoulos of Rhymes and Reasons has penned the following poem as he awaits his father's homecall. Those of us who have lost a father/dad can relate. Father, give Greg Your peace and an uncanny sense of Your abiding presence in the days ahead. AMEN.Greg writes:
Today's my father's last birthday
before he passes on.
The cancer's traveled through his bones.
I know he'll soon be gone.
His face is gaunt. His body's frail.
Yet in his tired eyes
I still can see a gleam of hope
his shriveled frame denies.
He doesn't want a piece of cake.
He has no need for gifts.
Our presence is what he wants most.
That's what gives him a lift.
Surrounded by the ones he loves,
my dad flashes a smile.
That boyish grin I've cherished
sinceI was a chubby child.
He smiled when I learned to walk.
When I first rode a bike.
He beamed with pride to see me preach
behind a pulpit mike.
He smiled at my firstborn's birth.
He grinned when I went gray.
His knowing smile eased the pain
When our pet passed passed away.
Today he's 82 years old.
The age at which he'll die.
The thought of it knots up my gut.
I breathe a heavy sigh.
I also breathe a whispered prayer
of gratitude and praise.
My father's impact on my life
will last beyond his days.
~ Greg Asimakoupoulos
wow, what a poem...I was there as much as I could be for my client (also Greek) as she watched her mother die of cancer, knowing she only had a few days left.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you,
LPP