Maxima

When I was a kid, my two brothers and I always looked forward to our dad’s birthday.  February 16th.  On dad’s birthday, mom always got him a box of heart candy.  Now, these were expensive and the only time we ever got to eat this fancy candy was on dad’s birthday.   It was always a very large box too!  We never got this fancy kind of candy on our birthday or any other time of year.

As I got older(like about 25) I realized that mom always bought the heart shaped box of fancy candy on the 15th when everything went on sale for half price.  She kept up the tradition all these years even though my dad passed on in 1998.  It is a tradition I treasure also and share with people I trust.  I remember so clearly, two years ago when Mir brought to work a small heart shaped box of candy on the 16th and handed them to me.  (I had told her how difficult it was getting to buy half price hearts on the 15th because all the valentine stuff now goes on sale early and sometimes is sold out on the 15th). I knew that they were half price hearts to show me how much she cared and to help me get through the day.  Dad’s birthday is a tough one each year but the half price hearts tradition helps. 

I miss my dad alot but he said something to me when he was 80 that I treasure.  We were sitting outside on the metal 1950’s lawn chairs and I was telling him about something I wanted to do.  He turned and looked me in the eye and said, “E….if it makes you happy, then it makes me happy”.  I was stunned into silent bliss.  You see, my dad up until that moment, had always thought he knew what was best for me including what made me happy.  If I close my eyes, I can be right back to that moment in time.  And funny how memories are.  I can remember the joy of sharing with the five of us more than the taste of the fancy half price hearts.