The happiest I have ever seen my father


My father, Pop as I called him, passed away about six months ago, a month shy of his ninetieth birthday.  The lady with him in both photos is Roberta, and she was as close to a soulmate to him as he ever had.  They had ten good years together and enjoyed each other's company tremendously.  

They had a lot in common, but their number one passion was travelling.  They lived in Arizona in the winters and Idaho in the summers and their motorhome when not at either place.  I photographed them walking along the beach in Oregon while they were camping with us at Pacific City and have always thought of this as an iconic image of their relationship.  The inset was shot at our home in Maple Ridge where they were visiting at the time.

I thought I would write this blog today about him as he has been on my mind.  As with any relationship, there are fond memories and also things I would change, but each of them speaks to who he was and how he lived his life.  Who you are is not reflected in what you say but rather in what you do.  It was never up to me to change him, but rather to love him and accept him in all circumstances.  The fact that I miss him and think about him often is a testament to the love I have for my father, even though now he has passed.

If there is one thing I can glean from watching my dad over the years, it's that relationships are important and life is too short to waste time on frivolous things.  Live life, love those close to you, and laugh when times are good.  In bad times, stay the course and live with honour and integrity.  There is always something to be thankful for.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com

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