HAPPY EASTER!

My Dad was never much for giving gifts like diamonds or fancy vacations, but he never missed giving Mom a poinsettia at Christmas and an Easter lily for Easter with a pretty card. Dad passed 4 years ago now, but every Easter Mom takes out his last Easter card to her and puts it on display near his picture and veterans flag on the entertainment center. The last few year of his life he was weakened from his failing heart, and this once vivacious man was reduced to a thin, frail shell of his former self. At this point, he would hand me some money and ask me to get a plant for his lifelong sweetheart. Since he passed, I have always made a point to have a poinsettia on her table at Christmas, and a lily at Easter. Sometimes they are unsigned, or from Ophilia, or from Wylee....and this year I sneaked into her porch at 11 pm and put the plant with a card, jelly beans and chocolate eggs on the table....and put up the gate to keep out sneaky coyotes and javalenas....and she walked out this morning to a beautiful warm sunny Easter, and was tickled with the surprise of seeing her lily. She mentioned last night that she didn't have one this year.....yet!
So another Easter has come and gone. Tummys are full of good ham dinners, people are out walking their dogs and walking off their big meals, it is a gorgeous warm evening, neighbors greet each other with friendly banter, churches have had big turnouts and pretty decorations as the celebrate the end of lent and the Resurrection. And in a simple home in Arizona, a lily blooms and a fading card celebrates a love of over 60 years, and somewhere up in that sunset of brilliant colors, I'm sure Dad is watching down on his beloved Anna Banana, and is waiting for the day that she will again walk along with him......forever young and in love. Happy Easter Mom and Dad.