Father's Day

On Sunday June 15, 2014, it was Father's Day.  It was a hard day, and I don't know that it will get any easier.  It's hard after someone close to you has died, to not be able to to talk to them.  You want to call that person, but you know you can't because they are not around.  If you live with that person, you expect to talk to them or for them to walk around the corner, but they don't.  That is the way it has been with my dad. Something really interesting, and was a true blessing from God, was that I got to share my dad's and my families story with two people that weekend.  In talking to them, I got to share when he first had cancer, and then the two other times that it came back, and the health issues he had in between them.  How brave he was for going through it, while trying to be a good husband and father, and also working, providing for his family. That even with his strong faith, that he struggled with being sick.  I also said that it's just hard to deal with everyday.  Also, that I wouldn't have to do anything in particular, but I would just love to be able to spend more time with him, and just talk to him one more time.

I also wore my Superman shirt that day, which if this is your first time reading, Superman was my dad's favorite superhero.  I also watched Man of Steel, which came out in theaters last summer.  It's a great movie and there are many qualities that my dad displayed during his battle with cancer.  I think the biggest thing to me was my dad's courage.  For 15 years he went through pain and struggling health, that I don't know I could go through.  He often said that he love us "more than life itself," and that showed in his fight with everything The fact that he was willing after 11 years of fighting to go through the Bone Marrow transplant, was amazing.  

There were so many unknowns, yet all he really cared about was being around his family for as long as he could.  I thank God that I was able to be with him for his last few years.  Even so, it was very hard to see my dad in such bad health.  There are many days where I think or ask God why we had to go through that? Please don't feel alone if you feel that way, because I deal with that everyday.  I think it's okay to ask God those questions, and I realize I may never find out why my dad had to go through all that he did.  It's realizing that I will never see my dad in person again, but that he has had a huge impact on me and my family. Thanks Dad for the courage you displayed during your fight.

Thanks for reading and God Bless,

Patrick Mastrianni