Honoring Family

Pop Pop, we love you, even though you are up in the sky.

I often think how lucky we are to have my mom, Molly and Rachel's great grandma, in our lives. It is her birthday this month.

When my mom calls Molly from Florida, my mother immediately calls me to tell me and shares a wonderful story with me. Her voice at soon to be 84 years old is vital, enthusiastic and filled with love, especially for her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

How cool is it to have your great grandparent in your life?

Also this month, my grandchild Rachel has her baby naming. Customary in the Jewish religion, the event announces the baby's name. Rachel is named after my father. My dad passed away almost two years ago. I look at Rachel and feel my dad's presence. Every time I hold her in my arms, I see his eyes.

This day will bring all our family together for a moment in time to bless my precious grandchild and honor my dad. It will bring a family together that has been torn apart because of a will, that has shared divorce and remarriage and has three weddings in the making and four sets of grandparents, as well as great grandparents and four stepparents. It will be a joyful day for me to see everyone I love in a room together. And for a moment in time, all the negative energy will be left outside the door. We will all come together as one family. My mom will come up from Florida and meet her great grandchild for the first time and hold her in her arms and feel her husband's love all around her.

As I think of my dad, I can't help but think about Father's Day and wish he were physically here. But as I will look into Rachel's eyes, I know he will be with us in spirit. I will celebrate this day with tears of joy, and pray it will be the beginning of a new life for everyone.

This day will bring joy and love into my daughter and son-in-law's home. Thank you dad. I love you.