My parents have been gone for several years now. My dad died at 65; my mum at 70 – as I get older, those ages seem so very young!
I’ve had occasion to think about my dad a lot lately, thanks to a scan and a scope I recently had, and will continue to have every five years – because Dad died of colon cancer. Colonography and sigmoidoscopy aren’t exactly a walk in the park, but while I was lying there today, I thought of Dad and how he would willingly have undergone such procedures on an annual, monthly, or even weekly basis – if it had meant he could have lived past 65. He had a lot of energy and there were so many things he didn’t get to do. He’s the cute little one behind the drums in this picture from the 60s.
My mum had breast cancer when she was 49; it recurred relentlessly when she was 69. So, now that part of me is also prone to frequent examination. Mum owned a book store, The Book Nook, for 25 years, until she died. The Truro library still sponsors a teen writing competition in her name – The Ada Mingo Teen Writing Competition. Sadly, I don’t have any scanned pictures of Mum, yet.
And so, this is a little thank you note, but not for the usual reasons we’re grateful to our parents. I’m sure I still think of them every single day, and hope somehow, from afar, they still know how we’re doing.
Jan L. Coates - "What if...?" 
Your parents did leave this world way too soon. It sounds like they have left you with wonderful memories and a great appreciation for books and entertainment How wonderful to have your mom’s name live on in a writing competition.This is a good reminder for all of us to have regular examinations.
Hi, Darlene – happy early birthday! And, yes – regular examinations are a very good thing, uncomfortable as some of them may be.
Glad you are listening to their voices inside you… Parents never leave.
Nice to see you, Mirka – and yes, so true. It’s funny to see my own kids as adults now, and the parts of me they’re stuck with for life! (the good, bad and the ugly:)
I’m sure on some level they do know, Jan. I often think that the people in our lives who have passed over are still so much a part of our lives. We still feel them with us, and know that they are a part of us that will always be there. Still, we’d do anything to see them one last time.
Ain’t that the truth? I’m surprised there aren’t more books out there about people coming back to life several years after their death. Hmm…
This is a nice tribute and what a great picture of your dad’s band!
One of the reasons I enjoy Facebook is that you never know what connections will be made – someone I don’t know sent me this old pic a while back. Thanks for saying hi!
I loved the picture of your dad’s band! That is so cool how your mom left you a literary legacy. My dad died at 52. Way too young. But I still hear his voice as well.
Hi, Jennie – thanks for stopping by. I’m almost 54, so yes – 52 is way too young! I have some video of my parents, taken when my kids were little, but I wish I had lots more so I could really see and hear them, rather than relying on my (very poor) memory:)