**This month marks seven years since my Daddy’s passing, so I thought this would be a fitting tribute for a man that was larger than life…one with a beautiful giving heart that would always give a hand to someone in need…the man that taught me to be unapologetically ME even when others may not like it.**
~First Published July 15, 2017~
As I plan our excursion with Denise (my travel agent/coordinator), little things keep popping up. Denise and I have spoken so much on the phone and by text, trying to get everything perfect. First let me tell you about the ironies and then I will explain my dream and why I think they are all inner connected.
When she asks my date of birth, she tells me, “Oh, that’s awesome! I am an October baby too!” That detail in itself is not so ironic, because there are many many October babies out there. As the week goes by, we spend quite a bit of time hashing this all out. We start speaking about the company she works for and the owners (because they are the ones who set everything into motion and make the reservations with the many many things we would like to do). She tells me that it’s a sister/brother team that decided to run the company after their Dad (the founder) passed away unexpectedly last November. *cue weird music* My dad passed in November also. I was like okay that was a weird coincidence, but once again, I shrugged it off as “It’s not as if they were the only two people to pass last November…” and went about my merry little way.
Fast forward to yesterday…I am trying to polish up our wedding website to include links to the places we will be visiting and dining at. I text Denise and asked the name of the Japanese teppanyaki grill that is on our itinerary. She goes let me check on that and I will get back to you. She texts me a little bit later and says the name is Tanaka. *cue Twilight Zone music* At first, I just stare at the text, flabbergasted. I text her back thank you and add “Crazy little irony there…my daddy’s high school sweetheart, with whom he reconnected with decades later…Tanaka.”
Silly little ironies but then the dream last night. For some reason my daddy is in our hotel room while I am getting my hair and makeup done. He tells me that I look beautiful and starts laughing…
Daddy: Mija, I have a joke for you…
Me: OK…
Daddy: So there was this Mexican and this blonde and they were dating. She went out and bought a pretty dress. She came home and tried it on for him. He tells her, “Aye, que linda!! You are so beautiful!” The blonde becomes infuriated and screams, “Who the hell is Linda?? Who the hell is Kay??!” and bursts into tears. The Mexican laughs and hugs her and says, “No no no Mamita! I was just telling you how beautiful you are!!” The blonde stops crying and says, “Well…okay…” A few minutes later she says , “But that still doesn’t explain who Linda is….”
My daddy was always telling jokes or saying things to make people laugh from deep down in their soul. His own laugh was infectious and he found humor in soooo many things. This joke in my dream was not anything he had ever told me but it was very reminiscent of others he had.
I pondered all of these little ironies and the dream joke and came to the conclusion that daddy is letting me know he will be there in spirit. So to this I say, “Que linda, Daddy…te amo siempre!”
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