The Power of Words
I wrote this as I sat beside my Dad in his last dying hours.
Just to get it out of the way: Cancer sucks.
On the morning of Thursday, April 11, 2019, we noticed that things were moving quickly in the direction we knew was coming, but can never be prepared for.
My brother Tom put out a message to family and friends telling them to visit. He tried to prepare them for Dad’s somewhat incoherent state.
The power of healing through my Dad’s words that day will never be forgotten.
Speaking in a very low, raspy voice he kept saying “Oh Lordy today”:
- Oh Lordy today, why am I still here?
- Oh Lordy today, I am ready to die
- Oh Lordy today, I have to go to the bathroom (only he didn’t say it as politely as that)
As visitors started coming in, Dad had a common theme: he would compliment or joke around with each visitor, as he would have on any normal day, and then he would say “thank you”.
Through his tears, and with a raspy voice, he would say thank you!
- Thank you for being my wife
- Thank you for being my son
- Thank you for being my daughter
- Thank you for being my son-in-law
- Thank you for being my grandson
- Thank you for being my granddaughter
- Thank you for being my friend
- Thank you for putting up with me
The peace that came out of that day will never be forgotten.
So Dad, now it is our turn.
- Thank you for being a wonderful Husband
- Thank you for being a stern and loving Dad
- Thank you for being an accepting Father-in-law
- Thank you for being a fun Papaw
- Thank you for being Walter
- Thank you for being everyone’s friend
- Thank you for helping us heal
- Thank you for showing us all the power of your words in your last days
We love you!