“Thank you, everyone who expressed kind words. I think it’s time we hear from the man of the house. Luca…”
“Thanks, Dwayne.”
I stand in front of everyone, wondering how to put words together to encapsulate my dad’s life. He experienced so much loss and hurt. It defined him for a while, but he overcame it all and found peace in the end. There’s a lot I don’t know about him because I was too scared to ask, worried it would upset him or bring back painful memories. I thought he was fragile, but he turned out to be one of the strongest sims I know. This loss is the biggest hurdle I’ve had to jump so far. Dad always supported me like a parachute. He wasn’t always around, but he when I needed him, he was right there ready to gently guide me to safety. Heh, that would have made an okay speech and wish I would have said that aloud instead. My audience awaits me, so I gaze at the urn for a few moments, hoping to draw inspiration from him one last time while I’m still in his presence, kinda.
“It’s nice to hear I’m not the only one who thinks my dad is the man.”
My goal was not humor, but pockets of laughter spread across the room anyway. I’m sure we all enjoyed the brief levity.
“No, but seriously. I appreciate you all being here and saying such nice things about him. My dad was just one of those guys, you know? I’ve never known anyone to dislike him. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without him. He was so wise. This is a big one, guys…”
I cleared my throat a few times as the words bottleneck in my throat. Maira, who was sitting behind me, grabbed my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze and told me it was okay. I needed that. Still, I think I should wrap it up before I lose my cool.
“I know he didn’t try to be amazing, but he always knew just the right thing to say. I think that’s a goal we could all have. Live in such a way where when we’re gone, we leave a huge hole in other’s lives. He had challenges, but his life meant something. Things didn’t turn out how he wanted them to, but his life was definitely something worth celebrating. So … Yeah … Thanks for coming. Enjoy the food.”
