Memory-of.com

This picture you see here to the left. I don’t know him. I never met Dale Vincent Milligan (1987-2004). But I can feel the pain of his father a half a world away. That last good bye, the tender touch, the memories of a life time – that are now only memories. The kiss on the way out the door of your spouse that will be your last, the gleam in your two year old's eye as he gets up every morning and silently goes about his day of growing, learning and exploring the world he has come to know inside your little parcel of real estate on this earth….. and then with out forewarning, in the flash of an eye the life you have come to love, nurture, and long for is gone.

As a father of four young children, two girls ages 7 and 6, and two sons ages 4 and 2, I often wonder what life has in store for our family. My wife writes birth stories how our children came into this world, I hope and pray we don’t have to write a death story way before four scores have ebbed from time present to time eternity. Will I get to see all my kids grow up? Will they be well adjusted, and happily married? As a parent that is what we long for. Will this tremendous faith passed on to me by my father and mother also take hold in the hearts and lives of my kids?

Who is really irritating you in your family today? Are you and your wife growing apart? Is the spring of your marriage turning to fall and heading for winter? Did your two year old get up today, needing a diaper change, and your 5 year old, wanting to let you get some more sleep, attempt to change the diaper her self, not quite doing so wonderful job and leaving a mess for you to clean up, all while greeting you with a big smile saying, “Seany boy had a mess this morning, but I helped him and changed his diaper, daddy.” Has your two year-old discovered your fridgerator (water and ice server) makes for great fun after holding the water on for five minutes and leaving a half an inch of water all over your kitchen floor?

Has your teenager lost their way? Doing drugs? Pregnant? Have green hair? Doing the Goth thing? Has a piercing you detest? Lost their first love for God and no longer seek Him? Are you at you wits end, lost your patience, kicked someone out of your house? It could be worse.


Now go back to that family member or loved one, and hug them like there is no tomorrow, because just like everyone of the people who are sharing their stories on this site, it just may happen that tomorrow may never come. Work on your marriage until its spring again. Be patient with your infants, toddlers and young kids, just as the Lord is patient with you. Love your teenager through those troubling years and back out the other side into young adulthood, when they will come back around and recognize you for the parent you tried to be, no matter how miserable you may have failed.

I just happen to stumble across the Memory Of web site , and sat and read the stories written through the tears of mothers, fathers, siblings, spouses, cousins, parents and grandparents, and hope and pray I don't have to experience the loss of my spouse and children in a sudden tradegy or to a terminal illness way before their time.

Who is irritating you today? Do you think any of the people telling these stories would exchange one day dealing with the source of your irritation for just one minute together again with the loved one they so desperately miss? May we all cheerish the time we have on this earth, for it is like a vapor, here today and gone tomarrow, and in that cheerishing let it change your attitude and how you treat those who are closest to you.

{{{Candleman}}}