Papa, I am asking myself – do I live my life the right way? Do I spend my time and efforts on something meaningful?
What’s you answer?
I know your answer – your answer is you. You are the answer to all my questions.
The answer is Strength
You have been outstanding sportsman, you had a perfect athlete body. You could stand on your hands easily. You always supported me when I was training and you always came to my competitions.
The answer is Will Power
Your will power got you interesting and challenging jobs. Your will power got you a beautiful wife – because you wanted. You wanted to climb Kavkaz mountains – so you did even when it was not the safest there – because you wanted.
The answer is Friendship
You were a friend, a comrade. You always offered your shoulder to everyone – even to those who didn’t really deserve it.
The answer is Coolness
I have never heard you complaining – you were biting your tongue and just doing it, even the hardest thing. Complaints and excuses were out of your lexicon.
The answer is Laugh
Your wide smile was filling my body with joy, you knew how to laugh and you knew how to make others laugh. You always had a little joke in your pocket that made me always smile.
The answer is Do It Yourself
You could do everything on your own – solve math exercise or fix a car. You could do a million more things – anywhere I look I see a touch of your hands.
The answer is Warm Heart
You had a special place in your heart for everyone. A special warm and soft place. You were a heat engine bigger than a power station.
The answer is Life Smarts
You were departed with your family during World War II, moved to new school each year and got beaten as a new kid on the block. You worked in anti-Semitic atmosphere. You left everything you have built for years and repatriated to Promised Land. You learned a lot of life smarts and you tried to teach me these life lessons in very simple way – so that it’d be easy for me to learn.
The answer is Simplicity
You wore simple clothes, you ate simple food, you lived simple life, you gave simple solutions that worked, you talked simple language that I could easily understand. I have learned that simplicity works, and it works fast. Simplicity is the way to results.
The answer is Help
You helped to everyone. You helped just because you could and because you thought this is the right thing to do.
The answer is Children
You always gave up on yourself in favor of children and grandchildren. Kids were in the center for you. You were the family’s kids spoiler.
The answer is Respect
You had a great self respect. You have never gave in to temptations and you always were sticking to your personal principles – something you honored as the way of life.
The answer is Knowledge
You were a huge source of knowledge and insight. You learned unstoppably and you taught others unstoppably. Learning and teaching were in your blood. You are the Levites tribe son, isn’t it? You were building computer presentations until the last day, then you were sending it to me and others just to please. Papa, I am keeping each and every email you have sent me.
The answer is Personal Resilience
You have taught me to give up in sake of something bigger and more important. You have taught me to be smart vs. be right – that requires a lot of resilience.
The answer is Dream
You were the biggest dreamer I have ever seen. I can remember you once wanted to establish a friendship connections between our town and a town in China. You had fantasies beyond my imaginations.
The answer is Creativity
You had a solution to any problem. Your creativity never allowed you be another way. You had a bolt, a tool, or a brilliant idea to any situation.
The answer is Faith
Faith was the source of your power. You believed in yourself, you believed in family, you believed in good. You always gave me a belief.
The answer is Love
You gave so much love to others. Many of them you will meet in heaven. If all those who got your love could overcome the barrier of time and space, if they could stand here today it’d be the whole army that came to say thank you to your love you gave.
The answer is Life
You loved life so much. You gave life to me and my sister, and that means you gave life to our kids too. You wanted to live some more since you had so much more to give. You live in us, we will continue doing good deeds you taught us, just as you have asked me back at my wedding.
Goodbye, Papa, I love you.