Watering The Grass - A Father's Day Reflection

After a long, hot day of work my dad enjoyed sitting on the front porch, smoking his pipe and watering the lawn. On hot evenings, he'd let my friends and I run through the stream of the hose to cool off. You see, growing up in the 70's, we found fun in everything we did.

As I grew older, I would simply sit next to my "old man" and chat about life. He wasn't one to be be forthcoming and share, but if I asked him questions he would open up. I love listening to tales of his childhood and would hand on every word when he told stories of his time in the South Pacific during WWII. The man was always calm and cool but had a mischievous streak which I see in my sons today.

Dad was called upon in 1994, to be a good Marine and guard the pearly gates of Heaven when I was only 27.

While sitting on the steps on my deck, watering my grass, I think back to a simpler time when I sat next to my dad. Closing my eyes, I smell the damp grass and pipe smoke.

Happy Father's Day in Heaven to Uncle Jack (r) and Dad (l).

#HappyPlace

Sometimes while sitting on the back deck my thoughts travel to my parents. (Dad passed in 2994, Mom in 2016.) Today, my mom's presence is missed. 

Mom's favorite things were books, birds and flowers. Her Happy Place was sitting outside reading a Harlequin romance with birds chirping nearby. During summer vacation at the cottage, after chores were done, flowerpots watered and birdfeeders filled, you'd find her under a tree, in a lawn chair at the edge of the lake. At home, she'd be on the porch or in our screened-on garage she turned into a summer room. 

Looking around, she would have loved my deck as much as she enjoyed my front porch. 

I guess my Happy Place is much like Mom's. 

What is your Happy Place?