That December I also learned that my father was dying of cancer.
I was 17.
This was my Christmas present that year:
This was the inscription inside the front cover:
That inscription has carried me all these years.
Unconditional love.
I have often thought that one day I will have it tattooed under the hummingbird on my right shoulder.
It is already tattooed on my heart.
Auguries of Innocence
To See a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a wild flower
To hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
William Blake
What a lovely gift, and the message is beautiful too. God bless our Dads.
ReplyDeleteHe left you a beautiful legacy; not only the quote, but the poems as well; they will always remind you of him, as does Ionesco's Macbett reminds me of my dear late auntie
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful. Thank you for sharing something so precious and personal.
ReplyDeleteMy dad died some 30 years ago. I don't have anything like your gorgeous gift to remember him by. So a few years back I asked Mum if she would give me my favourite photo of Dad for Christmas. He's boarding a canal taxi in Amsterdam back in 1967. I have always loved the pic and Mum does not have any photos of Dad on view. They're all in a box atop her wardrobe.
I was really quite hurt and upset when she had a copy of the photo made and framed ... and also had one done for my brother... and put the original back in the box never to be seen again. I understand that she thought she was being fair to my brother by not giving me the original, but somehow, although I have hung the photo where I pass it and speak to Dad 20 times a day, it doesn't mean as much as if it was the actual image he brought back with him from that trip. Silly of me? Probably. Maybe I should blog it out.
It is not silly of you. I don't now why people do what they do, but you are entitled to your feelings of hurt. Blogging does help, at least for me. I find it interesting how much you and I have in common......I would love to see the picture if you do blog about it. ]
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