Thoughts conveyed, not always verbalized

Fathers and Friends: My own Father was actually quite a wonderful man, he was very hard working man working 1 1/2 jobs for a good 20 years as needed by the household, a printer by trade after having served in WWII As an American Army Artillery Sargent, he was in Belgium, experienced Antwerp and Buzz Bombs, traveled through France and into Germany, he was always a family man, loved fishing, gardening, and working on all types of remodeling projects around the house. When he retired he found out he enjoyed being a Grandpa, lots of imagination was funneled through to my youngster due to living duplex-ed. He passed away suddenly in 1990. I lucked out some 36 years back, and met the right person and married, and have journeyed long and far until now, plenty of growing spurts, plenty of hills to climb, we've had the good fortune to be similar in many personality traits, yet never at the same time, so we've stayed pretty well balance, we both have humor, we can both have a temperamental spell, but one is always sane, one is always finding something good, and this keeps the other on track. Now his Dad has been one of the most colorful characters throughout our adult lives. He has dabbled in painting pictures, learning how to play instruments, Herbal medicine knowledge has become through reading his personal preference, he has since the time of DOS and the first home computers constantly educated himself on the upgrades and programs developed for some 20 years, totally staying on top of this tremendous evolution that brought more knowledge to his doorstep, he has for many years learned about mulches, composts, and natural means to care for lawns, he has been a helpful neighbor to others less fortunate, he has tried to be an outstanding family person to all who have been family to him, his own bloodline, his wife's bloodline, and all of the people who married his offspring(s), all of the Grand Children, and now their children have all felt this mans humor, love, concern and kindness. I know we say things of importance to people, our I love you's and we show appreciation for all they've been to us, but sometimes isn't it simply amazing to see just how many lives have been affected by these men and / or women we call Family or Friend? Sometimes, when you're together in a larger grouping can you see all the strands of relationships that run back to one person and the beauty of it?