Dad remembrance pilgrimage: Day 4
Previous leg: Tama to Des Moines, Iowa
July 13, 2022: visitation, Des Moines, Iowa
Day four of the pilgrimage contained no riding, but was the very reason for the journey. Two weeks after dad took his last breath his family and friends came together to begin the process of saying goodbye. It was not a night any of us wanted, but was incredibly healing for everyone who was able to attend.
The last time our whole extended family gathered was Christmas 2019. We went to Des Moines because dad’s condition at Calvin Community was unclear. Even though in the end he hung on for three more years, at the time we had no way to know how long he would be with us.
Three years later we all gathered again. Although I didn’t get any photos at the visitation, in so many ways we did exactly what we had done so many times before. We sat, ate, laughed, and talked together. In so many ways it was delightfully normal, but the context was, of course, completely different.
In addition to family, we were joined by dad’s friends, members of at least three of his four churches, and colleagues from both his military and civilian ministries. We closed the night with a time of storytelling, remembrance, and thanksgiving for the ways that he had touched all of us along the way.
On a personal note, I was delightfully surprised to see several friends from various parts of my life who made the trip to support me. Thank you to them, and to the people of Union Park Presbyterian Church for hosting us as we gave thanks to God for dad’s legacy.
Next entry: Funeral, Des Moines, Iowa
