in Maui, at the beach, I cajoled my father to come a little deeper into the ocean. To bob with the waves, to float. Instead he stood firm at the break. With intense concentration, he faced the ocean head-on, trying to hold his ground as each wave crashed into him. His expression veered between worry, panic, and determination to maintain control.

When i left, after a lovely week, he said goodbye and gave me a kiss. Then he came back to give me a long, tight hug and said, with that same expression, "be careful!"
I laughed, and asked him, "Be careful of what?!"
He replied, so seriously, "of everything."

12:50 p.m. - 2009-11-24