Echoes Through An Eternity

The stone face old-man stared down at the casket as it was being lowered into the ground. Being a veteran of two wars he was familiar with death but it had been a while since he had tasted it. His father always told him never to show emotions. “Emotions are weakness!” he used to say.

He passed this value onto his only son. He was a tough man and he raised a tough son as he reigned over his family for 40 years with an iron fist. He felt comfortable with that way of doing business; this was how a marine was supposed to be. Tough as nails! But the only person he had ever loved was dead and now he pondered what he would do with the rest of his life.

He met her in high school at the Sweet Sixteen dance fifty-four years earlier. She was two years younger than him but she was quite a dish. Her smile pierced his tough exterior like a javelin and her soft grip on his heart never wavered. Her hair flowed in waves over her shoulders; it was love at first sight. She was the only life he valued more than his own. They married in 1954, the day before he left for boot camp.

Thoughts of her sweet kiss saved his life many times in Korea, Vietnam and Cambodia. Many guys gave up during the war and lost their life but not him. She saved him. If not for her waiting for him back home he might have given up too.

After the funeral the family went back to the house he shared with her for over 30 years. As he surveyed the pictures on the living room table be thought about how lucky he was to have been blessed with spending all those happy years with this wonderful woman. And that’s when it hit him!! Did he ever tell her how lucky he was?

He sat down on the couch with tears welling up in his eyes. The room that was noisy was now silent as they witnessed the giant fall. The family and friends he had know his entire life that had never seen an inkling of emotions was stunned to see this mighty man show some humanity. His son quickly ran and sat down next to him.

“Pop? Are you alright?” he said as he handed his father a glass of water.

It took two hands to hold the glass with both of them now shaking.

“Saturday, you cut my grass. It was hot and I......well.....I have trouble in the heat now....and......I was too proud to ask for help but you were here. You cut it for me without me even asking. You’re a good son. Thank you for being a good son.”

The son had never seen his father cry in all his years.

“Did I ever tell you how proud I was when you were born? You completed the family. When you had trouble sleeping I used to rock you next to the fireplace and sing old songs to you so your mother could get some rest.

I never told you how proud I was to see you graduate from college or how proud I was when you were promoted to Vice President. I should have. You have always been a good son. You were always there for your mother and me.”

Nobody in the house moved a step. All eyes were on the father and son.

“Last Friday when your mother and I were on our way to the symphony, she came out of the bathroom all dolled up and as I saw her I remember grabbing onto the bed post because she was stunning. Here is this seventy year old woman walking out of the bathroom and I remember thinking how beautiful she looked. She took my breath away. My heart started pounding and my knees almost gave out. Just like when I saw her for the first time.

But I never told her how good she looked that night. I was in a hurry and...........”

“It’s okay Pop, I’m sure she knew.”

His father drank from the glass with shaky hands, spilling a little on his favorite suit. He stared at this son.

“On our first wedding anniversary I took a week of leave and your mother cooked me a beef roast, it was my favorite meal. She worked at least five hours on that roast. Two homemade pies.....the works. I never told her how good that roast was........I never told her how much I appreciated the effort she put into that meal for me.”

Now the father looked down in shame.

“When I got back from the war I was not sure how I would adjust to civilian life. Several of the men in my platoon couldn’t handle it and either killed themselves or left their home and were never seen again. It was your mother that saved me. She held me and told me how she believed in me, and.................I never thanked her for that. I never told her how much I appreciated what she did for me. I should have but now it’s too late.”

“Pop, you know...........”

“No! I know nothing! Now it’s only at the end that I finally understand! I was too hard on you and your mother. You were both the best things that ever happened to me but I never even told either one of you that I loved you! I never told you how much I needed you in my life or showed any kind of love at all! I need her! She died with my heart and soul! Why was I so stupid?!

"Son," he said with his tone now softening, "listen to me.......don’t make the same mistakes that I made. Tell your wife and kids you love them and appreciate them everyday before it's too late. Do it now! Silence is not golden. Silence is the talk of fools!”

Then he grabbed his son and hugged him; now sobbing uncontrollably.

That night Pop died. A few days later, the son watched with watery eyes as his father’s coffin was lowered into the ground; he kissed the rose extended his arm and dropped it on top of the casket. He whispered, “I love you pop. Tell mom I love her too.”