It Means “I Love You”

~ rabbitpatchdiary.com

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 Sunday Morning

Dawn broke with a muted light. The kind of light that does not rouse the world with any sense of urgency.  These kind of mornings, come “softly and  tenderly” like the old hymn says Jesus calls.  Even the birds sing more gently on such mornings.  They do not chatter this  Fathers’ Day  morning,   but instead sing in hushed verses-all except the purple martins.  The martins sing in cheerful trills, as only they can.

It gives me great joy to write, that there is finally and at long last, no wet paint in the old farmhouse. Of course this is a short lived affair, but the most of the painting is behind me.  I have been painting for weeks-at night before school was out, and since then, every day.  The farmhouse, is as old as it has ever been, but painting has not hurt it.  I have also painted an old wardrobe and the china cabinet, a stark white.  I do have a table left, if the spirit moves me, as well.

The yard has been neglected  because of all the ruckus in the house -and all of Farm Life can attest to that.  I plan to work outside, this week.  There is still the barn, too.  There is a bit more, for Kyle to do.  I will clean up behind him and then paint roses on the stair case.  Hopefully by then, I will spend some time with Lyla, by the laughing river.

I have a huge pot of chicken simmering now and another pot of butter beans.  I still have a cake to cook, and cornbread to fry, at the last possible moment.  It is Sunday- not just any Sunday-but Fathers’ Day, after all . . .and Daddy loves chicken and pastry. 

After Sunday Dinner

Mama and Daddy came in the back door, just as the last piece of cornbread  had been taken up.  The simple meal  was relaxed and easy, much like the morning light had been. I had fixed a cake, that I know Daddy especially likes- a cinnamon raisin cake.  I added diced apples today as I had two that needed to be used.  It was good enough that I talked him into taking some home.

Daddy, does not like a lot of fanfare.  He has never craved attention and has always shunned “big productions” made about him.  He is the  reigning patriarch  of four generations now and none of us want to disappoint him-not because he “rules the roost”  with fear, but because, he has made himself worthy of our respect.  He has never had to convince  us of that.  Daddy “wears his sermon, in his shoes.”

 Daddy carried a lunchbox to work for over thirty years.  I simply can not fathom that.  His days were long as  he often worked “overtime” and it was an hour to get there, and an hour to get back home.  I remember that when Daddy left to work night shift, we would wave good-by from the front door.  Mama would blink the porch light and daddy would honk the horn, as he drove off.  It meant ” I love you.”  We would all blow kisses -and we did so every time.  We never needed to call a repairman for anything , from bicycles to the stove, when I was growing up-  Daddy could fix everything and all of that meant “I love you” as well.   We could always depend on Daddy  and I think that may have been the loveliest thing of all.  I think it is safe to say, that I did “grow up privileged”.  I would just as soon sit in the shade of the sycamores, with daddy,  today, as anybody, I know of.

I have always lived a simple life-but I came from extraordinary people-and my own father, is one of them.

Dear Diary,  I am glad for mornings with soft light and  I am glad for the humble kitchen table, in the old farmhouse . . .especially on Sundays, when Mama and Daddy are there. . .because it means “I love you”, too.

28 thoughts on “It Means “I Love You””

    1. I think we both grew up in a wonderful uncomplicated time, mothers tended house and did all the necessary things for children and men were dependable, protective and fixed a lot of things. What a beautiful time to be a child.

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  3. Very nice story of your day – Father’s Day. You made a special Father’s Day dinner, everybody enjoyed it and even the last piece was taken. Your dad is a hard working, dependable, able man. You’re blessed with a father who can fix everything. You painted a lot!! Still have the barn to do?

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  4. Treasure the moments with your precious parents! My parents loved ‘Softly & Tenderly’ – they sang it to me over the phone when they asked me to come home from Africa & a dear family friend sang it 8!years later @ Papa’s Memorial celebration. 💜🙏💜

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  5. From the title to the last line, my heart thrilled to this piece. It seems our dads were of the same sort. You could have written this line about my father: “Daddy, does not like a lot of fanfare. He has never craved attention and has always shunned “big productions” made about him,” I had forgotten how humble my dad was and how happy to live far from the limelight. Thank you for reminding me. Your writing brought tears to my eyes.

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  6. Oh there is just so much love here. I know only too well what it is like to be focused on one aspect of life only to turn around to see so much needing attending elsewhere. What you wrote about your father put a huge lump in my throat. I so thank you for this dip into simplicity and Love. 💕

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  8. Hi Rabbit Patch! I am behind on my reading and didn’t realize that I had missed at least four of your wonderful posts! So sorry!! You have really accomplished quite a lot this past week! I love your post about Father’s Day… the cake sounds delicious! And the post about your oldest son is so very sweet and loving…and it sounds like he is also sweet and loving!

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    1. I have been behind too! Just getting caught up! I have worked so hard , it is raining today-and i do not plan to do much. The cake is a favorite and so simple. My son is precious and you are too!! thank you for all the time you spent in the rabbit patch anf leaving nice thoughts! love Michele

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  9. Your mention of the kitchen table reminded me of the old wooden kitchen table in the house I grew up in. It was painted white, and went from the kitchen to the basement, where it was used to fold laundry. Then, it moved to the back porch, and finally I got it. (I can’t remember when!) I stripped off all the paint, and discovered it was oak. I used it as my dining table for years, until Mom died, and I decided I’d rather keep her cherrywood table and chairs, and didn’t have room for both.

    It’s funny how many memories a single object can hold. Now I have only the memory of the object, but they’re sweet ones.

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  10. Your recollection of goodbyes as Father went off to work brought to mind similar memories.
    My father would leave for work a short while before the school bus stopped at our house, affording us the opportunity to wave goodbye daily.
    As his car left the driveway, my mother would blow kisses and speak aloud to the glass that separated them.
    “God bless you.”, she would say, “and be careful on the road.”
    She did this consistently, every weekday of my childhood that I can remember.
    I recalled this tale at her funeral, during her eulogy, and wished for all those present that they heed this advice, then sent her home to her reward.
    “God bless you, mama. And be careful on the road.”

    Seek peace,

    Paz

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