My Father

JMJ. I went to visit my Dad yesterday. He's living in a nursing home in Huron, Ohio. He has Alzheimer's. This is sad, considering that he was an engineer at NASA for over thirty years. In fact, he started there when it was still NACA. That's going back a long time.

I just toured the visitor's center at Lewis Research Center in Cleveland since there is talk that they're going to move the museum to the building next to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Great Lakes Science Center. How sad! I remember riding along with my Mom when she dropped him off at work (long before there was a second car in our household.) We'd drive up to the gate and the guard would ask what our business was. Dad would show his badge and say that we were dropping him off to work. I felt taller than a sequoia that my Dad was part of the space program.

Things have changed since the last time I was there. I had to show my driver's license and declare that I am a US citizen. Further, I had to swear that there were no weapons in my car. I think that this whole rigamarole just made me prouder. I was going back, not for my benefit, but in remembrance of all the times I was there with Dad.

During our visit I told him of all this. He had to ask whom I was speaking of. I told him that I was talking about him and how proud I was of him. He answered that he didn't remember any of this but I told him that I'd remember for both of us. He smiled and seemed to accept this. I asked him what was new and he said that he didn't think he'd be here much longer. His dad was over 100 when he died but mine is only 83.

Maybe he knows something that I don't. I think he's tired of living and he misses Mom. I told him that if he feels the need to go that he has my blessing. I feel sure that he has God's. Our Lord, through the Divine Mercy, asks each of us to declare for Him or against Him. Dad, like Mom, was never stupid. I feel sure that we'll meet again one day throught the grace of God.