Reminders of Dad

I've had glimpses of beauty lately that make me think of my dad. Of course it brings me to tears, but I'm joyfully remembering the things he loved.

Our neighborhood consists of new subdivisions surrounded by ranchlands and homes with small plots of land sometimes housing horses. Yesterday I noticed an old lone horse in a yard very close to our home. I looked for a minute and was amazed to see an antique bathtub near the fence with a hose poised above it. At our family's home in Michigan, my dad used a nearly identical tub for watering his horses. I smiled as I remembered him filling it.

At a beautiful hilltop, I occasionally see a herd of horses. They are varied in color, healthy and cause me to pause and enjoy. A few days ago, I saw just one shiny black horse running through the field. I thought of my dad, healthy and free in heaven.

A nearby ranch has rolling hills dotted with robust cattle. They are so peaceful, merely grazing and rhythmically swinging their tails. I love that sight. I know that my dad would love it, too. So, I stop and imagine he's standing with me enjoying the beauty.