DAD

The campfire’s lit and the embers all burn bright
But there is one empty chair at the fire now at night
He’d be here if he could to tend the burning flame
But from this moment on – Nothing will be the same.
One of the most generous people that you’ll find…
And the laughter that he gave us - just one gift he left behind.

Even when things got as badly as they could
He tried to pretend, for us, that he felt good.
The day that they told us, and said, “It won’t be long.”
He said, “All I ever wanted was to take good care of mom.”

As a dad he always had the time to talk and have some fun.
Ribbing all the grandkids and entertaining everyone.
We all loved to hear the stories of his years as a kid -
And the funny, naughty things those local boys and brothers did.
As a man he was a model for others to aspire
Welcoming even strangers – to those nightly summer fires.

A boiling pot of stew that didn’t seem to have an end
When we’d come home for the weekend with our kids and any friends.
"Come home with us this weekend,” we would tell friends that we had, “
"You have to come there with us. You guys will love my dad.”
He waited 37 years to come back and make a start
On the land that always seemed to tug a little at his heart.
He never traveled far away as many people know –
He said, “There’s no where else but here that I’ve wanted much to go.”

Surely even deer and birds - are wondering just where
The man is that gave them such kind and loving care.
Life is not always fair or good and kind.
And he wasn’t yet quite ready to leave those he loved behind.
Still we’ll light the fires when we’re home to end the day –
And know though the chair is empty, He’s still sits there anyway.
So if you see the flame burn brightly and you happen to pass by
Just like the days when he was tending. Pull in, sit down, say, “Hi.”