HOW DO YOU COPE?

Wednesday, October 11, 2006 1:22:41 AM

This is my first blog, so bear with me browncoats. I have never really thought much about writing a blog, but recent events have moved me to do so.

My father passed away last week after a six month battle with cancer. He passed away before I could get there, but at least my sister was with him at the end. Not being able to say goodbye has left me feeling the loss all the more.

My father and I were never very close you see. He was always one to follow his own way and was never much for family. I tried, I really did, to be close to him, to have that father/son bond that you hear about so much, but somehow it always alluded me. I guess it simply was not meant to be. I reached out, I called, I wrote, but my father never seemed all that interested in keeping the lines of communication open.

Years went by, we grew apart, and I guess a rift of sorts sprung up between us. When he got sick, he pushed everyone away. He wanted to go it alone, as he has always done, so family was told to let him be. My sister, being as stubborn as he is, stayed near my dad (he lives in another state) and did what she could to take care of him. I envy her that in some ways, but it is a comfort to me to know that at least she was there to take care of him and make his last days as comfortable as she could.

I am not posting this to seek sympathy, though any words of condolence are greatly appreciated, but rather to air my thoughts. The browncoats are like my family and if you can't talk to family who do you talk to?

I guess the morale here is to stay in touch. Keep working at those relationships with family and friends, no matter how hard it might be at times. Time is the one thing that gets away from us, and before you know it that time is gone. No matter how much we might wish it otherwise, we can't get it back once it is past.

Thanks for listening (or reading in this case).

Take care browncoats. Keep flyin'!