Comfort from Dad

My sister had a conversation with my father the other day. Yes, you read that right. This is her story:

She has not been sleeping well due to surgery on her shoulder. One night, in that stage where you feel like you are half awake but you question later whether it was really a dream (I’ve been there and totally understand what she means) she was crying and suddenly Dad appeared and asked, “Why are you crying, Jodi?” (This was a common occurrence in the last few months. She would cry because she hated seeing him suffer and be so sad. And he would tell her that she didn’t need to feel that way…he was a blessed man. He still had his kids and they were taking good care of him. He was always looking out for everyone else’s needs even in his state of semi-dependence.)

Jodi told him that she missed him. Dad said, “If you could see what I’m seeing you wouldn’t cry one tear for me.” Then she continued, “But I hate that I wasn’t there to help you when you fell.” And Dad replied, “Your mother was there the whole time.”

And that explains the little grin on his face when my sister found him. And it also explains the oxygen tubing positioned very neatly on the bed. Mom was neat and orderly. We can just imagine her saying, “Well, you don’t need this anymore!” and gently removing it from his face and laying it on the bed. Not haphazardly tossed on the floor or carelessly thrown askew, but very neatly and purposefully placed on the bed.