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Epitaph for My Father, an Everyman

(Written with John Hughes in mind, 
      as he will understand)

One night in particular, I recall, inside a restaurant,
(although I hadn’t noticed any problem) my father 
Shouted, yes, more a shout than a question,
“Don’t you know who I am!”

This regional, southern PA tennis champion,;
This small town WWII war hero ;
This high school history teacher beloved
By his students, with an intellect respected by peers;
This upstanding father, who had run for city council;
This father who laughed at
My good-nihjt kisses on the crown of his head;

This man, oh, my father had felt so disrespected
That the manager came puffing with apologies,
And a change of tables and waiters, according to
Some set routine,as this hadn’t been the first time,
I’m sure.   Still, my father accepted the deference,
While I began a half-century of wondering
About those men on that night.  Just how
Did my father expect to be received by
A tired waiter, nearly dead on his feet?

I do not believe heaven counts up the numbers
Of tears that fall at our funerals, nor
Checks the milestones on resumes.

Lord, forgive my unknowing
As I  forgive the unknowing of others, 
To put mutual respect and your love in that place!

For most of life, I think I expected modest
Little in meetings, but, I think, 
Age keeps count,
Age heralds a certain pride in its survival
Of decades battling the trials of life —
As they blanket us in ways unseen 
By others, unknown to any but God.
So, like my father, I might, no, I do want
To shout, “Do you know who I am!”
Within all the entryways, hoping
Disregard will be waylaid, and
Eminence will be a suit  that fits.

If all we ever did was smile on one downcast,
Or if we wrote such famed lines
As a president quotes, each of us matters.
Celebrity is us all
In our minds, not only for the few, as here...
On this earth, as we stand 
Each a one among billions,
All already having His grace
To accept and realize the honor of fully being
Blessedly ourselves.


(C) sally young esinger 9/18/20
Thanks be to God!  And,all, staywell

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