Member-only story
LIFE IS BEAUTIFULLY MESSY
“Dad, I Had a Dream Last Night.”
Love goes on
“And what did you dream about, Josh?”
“I dreamt that you were gone.”
“Buddy, I’ll be gone for less than two weeks.”
I was leaving on a business trip, and Josh had expressed his disappointment I wasn’t taking him with me probably ten times in the last two weeks.
“No, Dad, I mean when you aren’t… Josh was stumbling for his words, and at that point, Teresa blurted out, “Do you mean when he’s dead, Josh?”
Josh looked at me and hesitated a moment, then he nodded his head in agreement and said, “Yes.”
As his eyes drifted toward the floor, his lips started to purse a bit like they do when his emotions build up inside and are on the verge of overflowing. I didn’t want him to be upset as I was leaving in just a few hours.
“Josh, I’m not going to die today or in the next two weeks. I’m going to be around for a long time. I’ll be back soon.”
“I know, Dad. But, even if you are around a long time before you die, I don’t think I will ever be ready.”
The emotions spilled forth in silent tears.
