I am a survivor. I am a survivor of my father's cancer. Although I may not have been personally afflicted with cancer, it has stricken me. It has profoundly affected and altered my life. It has ravished my heart as it did my father's body. My father was surrounded by his family the morning he was welcomed into heaven. As he took his last breath, I felt as if it would be mine as well. The thought of a life without my dad was unimaginable, unbearable. I fight to breathe. His goodness, his compassion for others permeates my thoughts. He was truly a selfless man. Since my father's death, I have struggled with a sense of restlessness, a feeling that I am not doing enough...that there is something more I should be doing in this life. I feel a tremendous need to become a part of combating this "thief," this stealer of lives. I desperately need to contribute to and fight against this demon that stole my father of his life ~ from us~ his wife, his children, and his grandchildren My father's cancer has taken something from deep within me. And, as I have struggled to find it again, to replace it, I realize that it is not something I can replace. Nothing will ever replace my loss. Daddy's little girl. And now- my Mother fights the fight. What I can continue to do is fight, fight to do what is right. To lend a hand, to become a voice. To give back. This is my vow. Living stronger, Linda M. Moore |
| I took this photograph on the day my father was buried, March 30th 2006. What caught my attention was the way the sky seemed to be opening up... I felt it as a sign, a sign that my father was indeed welcomed into heaven. I pulled over to the side of the road and took this picture. It wasn't until after I had the photos developed that the cross was noticed. The cross can be seen in the top upper left hand side of the opening in the sky. I am comforted by this photograph. |
| I smile every time I look at this picture. I washed my father's hair this day and he insisted on parting his hair in the middle...which used to drive my mother crazy. My dad would get the biggest kick out of mom's reaction. He used to love coming out from getting cleaned up with his hair parted that way just to get a "rise' out of my mom. Shape some of his hair into a point on the top of his head and he actually looked like Alfalfa, the character in The Little Rascals. My father had a wonderful sense of humor. I miss his smile...I miss his laugh. |
| August 2006 This is a picture of an actual moth. This moth landed next to my sister while visiting family in Connecticut just months after my father passed away. My cousin took the picture. We have not been able to identify the type of moth with the markings of a "cross'. |
This ear of corn was found lying in the path of our garden one morning. My brother had thrown some corn out for the squirrels one evening, the next day this is what he found. He actually thought I was playing a trick on him. I was not...this is all that was left. This of course, will be to most, totally unbelievable. But, after just suffering heartbreak, to us it brings comfort. |
Upon calling my mother late one morning I could tell that she was upset. She told me that the phone had rung, she answered it, said 'hello' but did not get any response. After she hung up she checked her caller id and discovered that the call came from her own line. My parents only have one telephone line and it is virtually impossible to call yourself. Seeing my father's name on the telephone shook mom up, she felt dad was trying to tell her something. Shortly after the call she had to take our family dog to the vet for an emergency. |
