One of my hobbies is to go to YouTube and watch old music video clips. For some reason this morning, my late father was on my mind. He used to love Simon and Garfunkle, so I sat there this morning and watched a couple of old Simon and Garfunkle clips and remembered my dad. Then I remembered how we used to listen to Jim Croce's song "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown". So naturally, I did a Jim Croce search. While doing so, I came across an old video of the song "Time in a Bottle". The video of Croce spending time with his wife and his son, coupled with the beautiful music and lyrics, really hit me hard.
Like the young child in that video, my father also died when I was young. Losing my dad at ten years old was a pain that words can not explain. Any description that I could give you would be an understatement. It was the most profound moment in my life. It has been 27 years and I still hurt, even today.
When I pray, I don't ask God for much. I mostly ask for Him to give me the strength to accept His will and remind me of Romans 8:28. The one thing I do ask for though is that I live long enough to be a father to my son and a husband to my wife. I just want to be there when my son has questions that only a father can answer. I want him to grow up seeing me show his mother the love and respect she deserves. Every boy needs a daddy around. Single mothers are awesome. They work hard and do the best they can, but having a good daddy around is priceless.
The lyrics to "Time in a Bottle" really apply to the way I feel about my family. I really do cherish every moment and at the end of the day, I wish that we could have had more time together. Time is precious, much more so than any material possessions. I don't feel sympathy for people that don't have a lot of money, nor do I envy those who do have material wealth. What I do have compassion for though, is the husband or wife who loses their spouse, or the child who will never really know his father. I have compassion for abused children, raped and battered women. Wealth is not money and poverty is not a lack of money. Have you ever seen a rich person weep over the casket of a loved one? Have you ever seen a poor man play in the park with his child? Would not the rich person crying over that casket, give everything away for just a little more time to be with the person they love?
It is good to work hard and to enjoy our wealth, but we should always make time for the ones we love, because when it is all over, time is the one thing we will wish we had more of.
Please take the time to watch this video clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILf-54Smv9M
6 comments:
Beautiful post, Glen.
And Croce...I had tickets to his last concert before his plane crash.
What a talented writer he was.
Thanks Sharon. He came and went so fast. Such a shame to die so young.
Glen this is profound. This reinforces my high regard for you despite your frequent lapses in political acumen. Seriously, this is an eloquent post and thought provoking for anyone, but especially those of us who have lost a parent. My dad died after i turned 30, but it was still a harsh blow.
thanks for this.
Thanks John and Roma. Yeah the picture on the bike is my dad and me and the picture on the right is my son Frank and me. When my wife saw that picture of my dad and me on the bike, the first thing she noticed was the holes in my shirt. It's kind of funny. That had to be about 33 or 34 years ago.
Great post Glen. Mom's are important as well, but I think many people underestimate the role a great father can have. I have a baby girl on the way and I pray I can have a great influence on her.
Good for you Chance. Congratulations.
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