Evening Prayer
By Nancy Prouty March
Try to imagine all the things
That your father did for you when you
were an infant, and then a toddler
and then a young child,
and which you cannot remember
because you were so young,
and which you may never discover,
and which even they may have
even forgotten about.
Perhaps you will never know all of the things
He did for you—
Changed your diapers,
Kissed you each night
Hugged you and said, “I love you.”
Was your baseball coach,
The one who took you to the mountains
To learn to ski, for lessons, time to spend together
Stood in the cold, proud as you flew
Down the slope and said,
“He’s a really good skier.”
He flew you to Tahoe
A father and son adventure.
He learn to ride a horse and
Take you for lessons.
Rarely missed a scout meeting
Camped in the winter, on ships,
And made shelters to keep you warm.
Stood up straight & proud when
You received your Eagle Scout award.
Taught you to drive,
Trusted you to have a motorcycle
Took you to Americade
Another father & son adventure.
He stayed awake pacing evenings
When he was afraid for you
And the choices you were making.
He helped you make a plan to hike
The Appalachian trail.
He packed boxes, thoughtful of every item
He worried each night about his boy
Alone in the dark.
He traveled South to meet up with him
Gave him a room, shower, a few laughs.
Memories for a father & son adventure.
He would leave him on the trail with a
Strong firm hug and a few bucks!
He sat in the front row of church
Smiling and proud of his son when he said,
“I do!”
He helped him buy his first home,
Fix broken this and that.
When you needed help he was
Always there.
He wept when he saw you
Hold your first born son.
It was truly a family something
That eluded him as a child –
Here was his son, a man, a father.
He held that little grandson of his
And that day love bloomed.
Being a grandfather changed his life.
All his life he searched
for that rapture he feels
each time he holds your son.
t
