Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Dad, The first 18 years of life you gave to me, wasn't so bad. You were a good father. Over the next 40 years, you chose your life path, and I chose mine. We both know over the years we grew apart, we no longer seen eye to eye. You always questioned why my choice was to explore the sky,and now you know. There once was a time when I would have followed you to the ends of the earth and share the love, the hurt, the success and the failures in life. I never ever stopped believing in you, even when some of your dreams, were falling to the ground. But you did teach me that Sometimes you just have to let it Ride.We can't always hide what we feel inside, but now the fire has now left your eyes and I understand that something good has died, and between you and me, well now, it's just a memory.You never see it coming, even though we both just went our separate ways. No more promises to keep, no more promises to break, no more pain and no more suffering. You just slipped away.You knew we were both fathers, we were both sons, both military men and 'flyboys' if you prefer. So now, dear father, I offer you my silver silent wings, so that you can 'Fly West' as flyboys say. As your journey will now begin, maybe someday, we will have a second chance to meet again.Dad, once again, I must say, I never stopped believing in you, ever. And for that, I respectively and proudly 'Salute' your takeoff, departureand safe arrival and landing, to your new adventure and destination.(An old pilot prayer goes this way)Keep the dirty side down, the nose pointed forward and maintain max forward airspeed, lest the earth arise to smite thee.You will be missed by many 'Captain Fred'. . . . With Gods speed and a happy landing!Your Son, Fred Jr.
