Daddy

Today is the 97th anniversary of George Francis Marion, Sr.'s birth. I just called him "Daddy". This fuzzy, grainy picture captures Daddy perfectly. You can see he is laughing, and so are the rest of us.

Daddy had an easy going personality, and a way of making everyone around him comfortable. He loved to tell jokes, and had an incredible repertoire of stories. Daddy had an extraordinary capacity for caregiving, He loved to take care of people. When we kids got sick as children, Daddy would make us special food to tempt us to eat, rub Vicks Vap-O-Rub on our backs and chests, make sure we had something soothing to drink, and make sure we had our favorite pillows and blankets for a bed on the couch.

Daddy was the life of every party he attended. He had a big laugh that was infectious. Our house was open and welcoming, and all of our friends loved to come and hang out with "Big George".

Daddy was also deeply sentimental and loving. He cried as easily as he laughed. My favorite photo from Mom and Dad's wedding shows them walking out of the church after the ceremony, and you can see a single tear tracking down Daddy's cheek.

He loved his brothers and sisters, and Moms's brothers and sisters deeply and treasured all of them and their spouses. He had close relationships with his cousins, some many times removed, and they became part of the fabric of our everyday lives. He loved spending time with family and friends who felt like family.

Daddy loved abundantly. He mastered the art of making all of us deeply aware of that love, so that no matter how far away we moved, his love stayed with us both as a flotation device and a guiding light.

Not a day goes by that I don't reflect on how lucky and blessed I am to have had George Marion as my dad.

The flip side of the gift of a great father is how much you miss them when they are gone. I'm missing Daddy even more than usual this year. Daddy and Cecil really hit it off. They had a similar sense of humor, and traded jokes and stories, keeping us all laughing. I comfort myself by imagining them together on the other side, sharing laughs and stories.

If the measure of a life well lived is how much you are missed and remembered, my Daddy lived a very good life. Happy Heavenly Birthday Daddy! I hope you are surrounded by all of our loved ones on the other side, telling jokes and singing songs and basking in the joy of each other's company.