My land line phone had 71 saved messages on it. So, one day when I hung up the phone after talking to my girlfriend, I decided to hear just what all these messages were. Inwardly, I dreaded going through them all and I reprimanded myself for not deleting the messages as they came in.
My first message was from August 5, 2009 and it was from my Dad. This does not sound like such a rare thing, except for the fact that my Dad died on August 5, 2010. When I first heard Aug. 5th and then my Dad’s voice, I almost freaked out. Then it hit me that the year was 2008. How much of a coincidence is that?
I started to listen to the rest of the messages and there were so many of them from my Dad. It really was a walk through the last two years of my father’s life. His voice was so strong in 2008. I could hear the decline as the years went on. The best for me was I have a “HAPPY NEW YEAR” message from my Dad for 2010. That is the last New Year’s message I will ever have from him and how lucky and honored I am to be able to hear him say that.
The little expressions my Dad would always say, like “Happy Day,” “This is the Big Boss” and “How do you do” were all recorded. I am so joyful and grateful to have these messages. I rewarded myself, instead of reprimanding myself, for not deleting them. How sad it is now that most of the younger generation “texts.” Having a text from my father would be nice to have, of course, but not quite as special as hearing him say “Love you, Babe.”
