let nothing be unsaid

it took me eighteen years 
and a heart attack
to say the words
but they were always there

every memory
you are there
driving down finch avenue
one hand scribbling messages down
phone cradled on your shoulder
i’m shifting stick with my left hand
waiting for your signal
distracted driving to say the least
but your focus nurtured
my young soul 
as your hand lovingly
brushed my cheek
(and i pretended to hate it)

every moment
you are strong
while the rest of us wrestle with foreboding future
you persist with sure-fire faith that tomorrow will come and it will be good
cracks in the foundation 
have been but only a glimpse
i couldn’t stand to see you with your blown-up face
i couldn’t bear your tears returning home post-prostrate
“this is hard” you said 
as you lay your head down on your pillow

a world without you is one i have avoided imagining
we all know your days will come to an end
all but you don’t seem ready to face that quite yet
and – thanks be – the lord keeps giving you time
so i resolve
let nothing be unsaid

you have been the bedrock of this family
always ready 
for a rock-a-bye baby with a willing grandchild
dropping by for your all-star appearances
making everyone’s day brighter

if the day is not yet done
the serving is not yet finished either
relentlessly reliable
quietly shaping homes 
for countless families
with your gospel generosity
not to mention hand-scrubbing every dish
even when we’re still eating from it

the brown leather recliner
in the basement at woodthrush
head cushion worn by delightful afternoon naps
hours spent exploring 
the adventures of the written word
“come let me show you something”
is the invitation i always wait for
stepping into your world
legal-sized file folders, clippings galore
i guzzle your wisdom
like ice-cold water after a long ride

i remember sitting alone
in a muskoka chair
at the end of the dock after
eight weeks of summer delight
the brisk wind ushering in
a changing of the seasons
sadness filled my spirit
to leave this place i so loved
yet there was always goodness
still to come

the winds are blowing 
in your life, dad
but there’s lots of goodness left
i’m here to enjoy it with you

i love you, dad

Written by Scott Moore
Illustrated by Landon Wideman

Inspired Aug 2022