Accidents Happen

During the excitement of visiting relatives for the past two weeks my daughter has had a few bathroom accidents. With each one she is disappointed in herself and I react automatically by saying, “accidents happen”. And they do. They happen all the time. Playing with water guns the other day my son accidentally got “shot” in his eye. My husband often accidentally buys the wrong item at the grocery store. I accidentally do so many things I can’t think of just one to write in this space.

But today I heard about another accident that happened and it’s harder to swallow the words, accidents happen this time. Through my CT “hometown” newspaper’s website I learned that my dear friend’s father died in a one-car accident last night. Twenty-five years I have known her, therefore him too. I have not seen her in a year, as for the last time I saw her father I’m not sure exactly when it was. What I do know is that twenty-five years is a long time and there were many sleepovers at her house, there were many hours spent in her dad’s presence, and there were millions of smiles across his face…many frowns too, especially when we were loudly laughing and he would have preferred us to be asleep. He was an extremely hardworker and an individualist who had strong beliefs and lived the way that he was spiritually moved to live. I admire him for the path he created for himself and I wish for all the strength that he had to be passed on to his wife, two daughters, and soon to be born grandson.  

I just spent a week at my own Dad’s house and I am grateful for the timing. I love you, Dad and seeing how happily you thoroughly enjoyed your surprise birthday party last weekend will be forever ingrained in my memory.