Remembering Dad

My dad -- Charles H. Richardson -- passed away one year ago today. I grew up watching him every Sunday morning as he led worship in little Methodist churches in Oklahoma. Because of him, I wanted to work in the church. Dad gave me many gifts--love of nature, music and photography. When I was ordained, he was here to lay hands on me in the ordination service.

His last years were lived in the darkening stages of the disease of Alzheimer's. Every day, his world shrank just a little bit more. When I was with him a couple of years ago, we sat and ate dinner with my brother and Anna, my step mom and Dad's wonderful caregiver. Dad said to me, "So, tell me where you have lived."

I answered, "Well, I was born in Norman, you know, and then we moved to Mooreland."

Dad said, "Oh, I did a stint there in Mooreland. What's your last name?"

"It's Richardson," I said. (My heart was getting heavy.)

"Well," he exclaimed, "My last name is Richardson! Who's your daddy?"

I said, "You're my dad! I'm your daughter, Beth."

He turned and looked at Anna and she nodded to him and said, "That's Beth. She's your daughter." He looked a little uncertain, and then he stood up, opened his arms to me and said, "I need to give you a hug." I stood up and we hugged -- a good, long embrace.

We sat back down at the table and he listened as I told him about myself: how I had been to seminary, was ordained in the United Methodist Church, worked at The Upper Room, had written a couple of books. He was delighted to know who I had become.

Our dinner conversation turned to other things, and then he turned to me and asked, "Do you know my daughter?"  And I said, "Yeah. Isn't she great?" As the rest of us chuckled, he looked at me closely and said, "Oh. You're her, aren't you?"

Over the following years, when we talked on the phone, I always ended up introducing myself to him. And he was always delighted to know me, to learn I was his daughter, to learn I was ordained in the United Methodist Church, and that I worked for The Upper Room. It was a wonderful ritual for me and such a gift of affirmation that, even if he didn't remember me, he was excited about who I was and who I had become.

Today on this first anniversary of his death, I'm sad, but grateful for his life and for the gifts he gave to me. Thanks be to the Creator for the gift of Dad.