For Father's Day

My dad passed away on November 3rd, 2013, after a long, painful journey with Alzheimer’s. I think about him often, but even more often lately, because I’m working on adult project: a tragicomic memoir about losing my father to Alzheimer’s.

For today, I’m sharing some of my early writing. The first, a letter that I wrote to my father when he was off on one of his long international trips.

Wednesday 10th February. I didn’t write the year, but I’m guessing it’s early 1970’s and I’m seven or eight by the handwriting.

Dear Daddy,

I miss you! I want to tell you what I felt like today. When I thought of you I began to cry because you are always going away. We are hardly ever together. Could you arrange with somebody to go away so that you could be with us a bit more. Just as I began to write this a Telex came from you. Anne is very happy because she is too young to know what it’s about. But she misses you too. Ming-tu* cheers us up but not as much as you. Only ten more days till you come back.

Lots of best love, Sarah Elizabeth (drawing of a heart crying)

And this, from when I was 15.

The New York Times printed a great list of questions to ask your father today. There are so many things I wish I’d asked mine before “Real Dad” gradually faded into the Alzheimer’s fog and became “Alzheimer’s Dad.”

Here’s a gift link to the questions. If your dad is still with you, do yourself a favor and ask him some — before it’s too late.

xo

Sarah

*Ming was our Pekinese. Whenever Dad and I went to a pet store together, we came home with a dog. We ended up with Ming when Dad made the mistake of parking outside a pet shop in London.