My father, the guy I call Dad, grew up without someone he could call dad. And lost his mom at a young age. So, yeah he was orphaned, but raised by his aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Dad always wanted to have a family of his own, and found a beautiful lady to call his wife. They were married a few years, and then she died (50 years ago today), leaving him with a 2 year-old daughter and an infant son (me).

Dad is successful from the world’s standards, and even in the eyes of many good, God-fearing people. He remarried, moved on, built a thriving business, and was involved in the church for many years – still is.

But if there’s one word I might use to characterize much of his life, it would probably be tragedy. He’s experienced a significant amount of trauma, abandonment, and loss. Not surprisingly, over time he built emotional barriers which became walls which turned into a castle with a moat and a drawbridge with a guard yelling “no one shall pass“!
And so, for a long time, I didn’t.

But now, he’s fired the guard, lowered the drawbridged, drained the moat, and he’s slowly taking down the walls. It’s hard work, but he’s doing it!

And I’m proud of him for it.