Book Review: The Five People You Meet in Heaven

So lately, I’ve had a lot of free time on my hands.  And I’ve had a lot of reading from that free time. Any who, in my collection of “Books to Read” was this little gem by Mitch Albom.  Now, I haven’t read any of his other works even though I’ve wanted to, especially Tuesdays with Morrie.  (I don’t have it in my collection of “Books to Read” but it is on my list.)

The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a philosophical fiction novel centered around Eddie, his birthdays, his death, and the people he meets.  There are some he knows and some he doesn’t but they all impacted his life, in a positive and negative way.  All the people also teach Eddie a lesson about life.  About patience, about love, and about hope.

It’s an easy read but by the end of the book, the reader is left to wonder, “Who will my five people be?”  Truth be told, I was crying in about half the book because I found it so personal and real.  Sadly enough, I wonder about my own dad who were his five people and if he would be one of mine.

Anyways, I highly recommend it.  It definitely makes you reassess your previous, present, and future interactions, acquaintances, and relationships.

Tribute To My Father

On this Father’s day, the second without my dad, I’ve decided to pay tribute to my dad. I think this day has a different meaning for anyone.  Those who are, those who aren’t, those that have lost one, those that have never met theirs.

But no matter what your “relationship” may be, there is someone there that has left a mark on you as a person.  I’m sure there is a lot of people who would call their dad the best dad ever and rattle off things that make their dad the best.

The most important thing my dad taught me was integrity.  I can honestly say my dad helped mold me into the adult I am today.  (I’m sure I’m not the only person who says that.) He showed me strength to survive, to think, to fight for what I believe in.  He showed me what it takes to live a good life.  He made me believe in myself, in the person I am, and who I want to become.

The list of things I love about my dad could go on for days so I’ll spare that for another time.  At the end of it all, days like today make me miss my dad more than usual.  Makes me wish I could just give him to tell him I love, give him a huge bear hug, and have him kiss my forehead.  Just one more time…

Dealing with Grief

Many of us have dealt with death in one way or another, it’s just part of life.  And even though we know it’s going to happen, death, it still hurts when it does.

My father passed away three days before Christmas this year.  It’s been about a month and half.  Going through the new “normal” routines with out him are still hard.  The house is littered with memories.  Things will trigger an unexpected cry or a moment of remembrance, or just the simple thought that he will never return.

I was always a daddy’s little girl.  He would have given me the world if I asked him or it.  I am happy and glad that we was around for so many years with me.  He really was a great father.  In this day and age, many children grow up without a father, without a male figure in their lives.  I should  feel lucky that I had one that cared and loved me so much.  Yet, I’m selfish.  This is know.  I’m bitter that he’s not going to be with me any more or that he just left so fast.  Just knowing that it’s all over is a hard thing to accept.

As the days go on, the waves of hurt, sadness, pain, and abandonment grow farther apart. Even though they might be farther apart, that doesn’t mean they still don’t hurt and sometimes hurt even worse.  Just like the real waves in the ocean, a beating of little waves can still erode a rock, it can still break me down.

In an attempt to filter my energy into other mediums, I am currently training to get my teaching certification.  I’ve always felt like I can help people.  As an educator, I can help and teach the youth of tomorrow the skills and knowledge they need.  My inspiration for all this is, of course, my dad.  Even though he was illiterate, this didn’t impede him from being successful and a role model.

And in the remarkable words of Robert Frost: “Life goes on.”

Christmas Like No Other

Thing christmas was like no other.  My dad passed away on Tuesday, December 22nd, three days before Christmas.  My family and I always thought he was going to come home.  Maybe not for the holidays but eventually.  He was doing so good.  Physical therapy was coming along, slowly but coming along.  It just happened so suddenly.  Sunday is when everything went downhill and it all ended on Tuesday.  Because of his wishes in his living testament, he was taken of his ventilator.  The issue with the ventilator was different from it had been just because before he was conscience.  He lost all consciencness on Sunday night and never returned.  I never got to say good-bye or talk to him since he went into the hospital in mid-September.

All day today I just kept thinking, “I wish Dad was here.”  The thing is that it’s not just me, my mom and brother are having a hard time dealing with it too.  I knew this was going to happen, that my dad was going to pass away but it still hurts when it happens.  We have all the arrangements already set for Sunday and Monday.  I guess the biggest thing is that it still hasn’t set it and the question I keep asking myself is when.