"No one should be crying.... Daddy lived a happy life and now he's going to live a happier one in heaven..." Giorgio, 10 yr old grandson
Amen, Amen ... but of course, we are crying.... a hurricanes of tears..... and so is he, by the way, but at least he does get it... Daddy is living a happier life in Heaven just as God promised... and we should rejoice...
My Daddy was the happiest man.. and the kindest... and the sweetest.. and the most loving .... when I first met him, I did not really like him.... course, that's what he always said, but I can't remember not liking him ever... except when he was reprimanding me or giving me some kind of life lesson.. sure, I would roll my eyes and look up to the heavens like all children do when their parents lecture them... but he was patient and understanding and never yelled... he was the comforting parent.. the encouraging one.. the one who thought that none of his 5 children could do anything wrong...
Besides my mother, I am the child who lived with him the longest... I adored him and he adored me... I always thought my mother would pass before him, which was insane to think because my father was 19 years older than her... and I would tell him, "I will take care of you, Daddy, when Ma dies" and he would just smile and respond, "You know I am going to die before she does.. I am just happy you are taking care of me now.." ... but what he really wanted was to be alone with my Ma... I invaded their "empty nest" and brought 2 kids with me... and then, I had a 3rd child, who has lived with him all of his ten year old life... Daddy loved my boys insanely... he was retired and bored... they gave him something to do... Giovanni (my oldest) would get up every morning to have breakfast with him.. that was "their" special quiet time... the afternon, belonged to Giancarlo (my middle child) .. Daddy taught him how to play cards and poker, which upsets my mother to this day because she said he was turning my kid into a gambler...lol... the evening belonged to Giorgio.. they'd watch Jeopardy together and they would fall asleep in the chair together...
When the older boys left to travel with their father, Giorgio became everything to Daddy... they were partners... Daddy made coffee and Giorgio would deliver it to my mother's bedside.. Daddy taught Giorgio how to make fried eggs and toast.. and they would take turns each morning making it for one another... they were popcorn-aholics... and Tom & Jerry fanatics.. they fought over who was going to get the mail and who was going to water the plants... Daddy celebrated every crazy thing Giorgio did and they were always laughing ... It was only fitting that Giorgio was with him when Daddy closed his eyes forever...
This past year, even though he was becoming more fragile, he was the happiest I think... my mother retired and they moved to the Dominican Republic... he had her all to himself.. no children, no grandchildren.. only my uncle over there to keep them company every so often... he LOVED my mother fiercely... the way Shakespeare said it should be... she was the poetry in his life... she was his adventure.. she was his love.. a love that overthrew life.. ungovernable... like a constant riot in his heart... and in the end, my mother showed us that she, too, loved my Daddy with the same intensity.. and maybe even more...
My heart is so heavy... none of us have even seen our mother yet.. Daddy died in the D.R. last Saturday.. and they were finally given permission to fly him back to Miami today.. I haven't even held my boys, who laid at his bedside.. taking turns putting their ears close to his heart and convincing themselves that they could still hear his heart beating.. when they all accepted that there was no more breath in him, Giorgio called me...
and so it is... life... eternal life... (to be continued.... I am in a haze.....)
May you all be blessed... you are loved beyond measure and are a cherished blessing to the world... please pray for my family...
With love,
Elena
p.s. for all my local brothers and sisters in Christ, here is the link to the services.. if you can, please come and share in the Holy Eucharist with my family.. http://tributes.com/show/Pablo-Diaz-96029178
