We all have ways of celebrating, or appreciating, or marking a day. Today is the second anniversary of my father’s passing, and I have been moping and crying all week. But today, this day, I decided to celebrate.
I went to one of my favorite places in the whole world to celebrate my father. I went up to Amicalola Falls and decided to hike up all those stairs, all 675 of them. But before that I stopped by another celebrated place that I enjoyed many many times with my parents. The Waffle House.
While some may grown and smirk because if it’s a greasy food, I grew up in the South and therefore Love The Awful Waffle (as it is sometimes called). Many times my parents and I would go there on our many road trips when I was a child. It was our favorite place to stop when traveling. And we always had good times there, as we talked to the waitresses and listened to the other conversations around.
When I was little, Mom and Dad would always give me money to put in the jukebox, and I always had to pick Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA. Yes, it’s cheesy, and it’s still one of my all-time favorite songs.
Today as I looked around I had to smile as I remembered the many meals I had with my parents at the Waffle House. And I had many memories flooding in my wonderful and extraordinary childhood with my most amazing parents.
So I celebrate my father today, and what a wonderful father he was. And I celebrate the life that he and Mom gave us, because it was amazing. I am so forever thankful for the wonderful childhood that I was given. I was blessed beyond measure to have him as my father, to be his daughter, and to be taught the wonderful lessons he taught me.
All this week I’ve truly grieved the loss of my father. But today, I celebrate him and I am happy. Not only do I celebrate him, but I celebrate all the things that I have overcome since losing him. I celebrate all the victories, no matter how small. And I celebrate all the love that I have in my life now, because it’s everywhere I look. And I celebrate All The Hope and optimism for the future. Because if it’s this good now, it’s only going to get better. And I celebrate going forward on the Firm Foundation that my parents laid for me. And my soul is happy. Even in the deepest, darkest places, there is joy.
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