I am going to miss watching you grow. I will miss your falling down and getting up. I will miss your making mistakes and learning from them. I will miss working with your teachers who love you more than you ever will know. But I am thinking too much about what I will miss. You have filled my life with wonderful memories. I will always remember eighth grade plays and sports championships, and becoming a Blue Ribbon school. I will always remember how special each graduation is. I will remember our Thanksgiving Feasts and how well behaved you always are and how handsome and beautiful you can be. You have always made me feel special in so many ways. And I will remember each and every one of you for that something special that you are. You might not believe that, but I will. And lastly. I will remember how wonderful you sound and how beautiful you look when you sing hymns in Chapel. Today when we sing, do it with pride and joy. And always do it this way for me. You might not know this, but I have a favorite Chapel story. It has to do with a little boy – me – and his dad. It involves fishing – my dad lets me catch more fish than he does – and it includes water in a jar, sardines, potted ham, and crackers. I have told the story many times. My dad wakes me up early in the morning. It is still very dark. Dad packs our lunch: a tin of sardines and a can of potted ham. A pack of crackers and a jug of water complete our menu. My dad ties our fishing poles to the side of the car and picks up the can containing the worms we dug up in the garden the night before. We get into the car, and I am still very sleepy. We get to where we are going. My dad plops me in a boat and starts paddling into the dark. (We had no motor.) The sun comes up and my dad teaches me how to put a worm on a hook and how to pull up on the fishing pole when the float bobs. He teaches me how to fish and a good deal more that I was not to discover until l was much older. I hope that in some ways I have helped you learn how to put the worm on the hook and when it is the right time to pull up on the line. But the best and most important lesson I hope you learn is that how many fish you catch is not that important. Eating sardines, potted ham, and crackers, and drinking water from a jug with someone you love is what life is all about.
You are my Sunshine
P a n t h e r P i c a y u n e | I s s u e 4 Vo l . 1 0
Page 25 of 26