How often do you hear of someone working oddly near their parents’ place of business? I, too, am one of those. After marrying my sweet bride, I hauled her out of South Texas to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Northern Virginia for a time. We eventually moved back home to raise our family. After a few employers came and went, I settled at an office that was no more than 5 miles from where my father spent the majority of his career. I drive by it often and still feel a kinship to it with memories of “bring your son to work” days. It was an Air Force Base and a School of Aerospace Medicine. The majority of the base has since turned into commercial developments, but his building still stands, assumedly still operational.
In the midst of the pandemic, open dining rooms are hard to come by. Most of the time, I brown bag it or hit the drive-thru, then look for a cool spot to park and “dine”. Today, I drove through my father’s former work area and found a nice spot, cooled by the far-reaching branches of an ancient oak tree. This particular spot, is parking for a local university satellite campus, currently empty. Security personnel in golf carts passed by slowly, checking up on me. Had they stopped, my reasoning would be that “I was just borrowing some shade from my father.” He had put in enough time here to buy me at least a half hour of peace.
Feeling closer to my earthly father made me appreciate the other things I “borrow” from him: integrity, intelligence, work ethic and most importantly, faith. Long reaching branches that render shade when other forces burn like a late August South Texas afternoon.
His branches were enveloped by those of our Heavenly Father that provided shade to my father’s endeavors, which in turn shade mine. Had my father not appreciated the heavenly shade, he could not have shown me how to myself. Thanks Dad.
Forever grateful for the strong, ancient branches that grant their shade for those that seek them and rest in their cooling peace.
And Blessed in Great Measure
If you have been blessed by my meager ramblings, send me a note at john@blessedingreatmeasure.com. I love to hear good stories.
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