Sunday, June 19, 2011

Rough time to be a Daddy's Girl

My friend Barb's dad died Friday night. It's easy for me to say that it was a blessing, as he was in great pain since his cancer metastasized, and since Barb had to shuttle between her high-stress job and hospice to spend her last moments with him and she simply couldn't go on this way much longer. But I'm not Barb, I'm merely her friend.

For Barb is a Daddy's Girl, so her sense of loss is incalculable, and I'm certain she'd rather have one more day with him. I could tell she wrote his obituary herself -- mentioning his dedication to family, his sense of humor and his sincerity.

What makes this worse is that he died Friday night, today (Sunday) is Father's Day and Tuesday is her 55th birthday. How does a Daddy's Girl get through her first Father's Day and birthday without her Daddy?

Oh, I've sent a dish garden to her house, a card to the funeral home and (as requested in the obit) a donation to the food pantry. And I know those things will remind her that she's in my thoughts. But they really won't help, will they? The only way to get through something like this is to simply ... get through it.

3 comments:

  1. Oh, how sad for Barb. I'm a Daddy's Girl and dread my own eventual loss.

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  2. My dad is 85 and I know time is close. I can't even think about losing him. I am not the baby of the family but he makes me feel special everytime I visit. What a blessing!!!
    Barb will remember to keep his memories alive...and I know Barb will live knowing she had the best dad ever...
    You are a good friend and she will have you to share her sorrow.

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  3. My Daddy died in 1989. Time does not always help. Speaking as a very much Daddy's Girl, the day after Daddy's Day, you are a good friend.

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