Dear Dad,

Dear Dad,

I miss you.  I miss having conversations with you.  I miss how you lived your faith daily.  Dad, you were always willing to help whoever needed your help.  You constantly reminded us that "Today is the first day of the rest of your life."  Your actions consistently demonstrated your faith in God and your belief that God works all things together for good.

Tonight I am reflecting on my school year so far, and the amazing miracle you would have loved to have seen this past week.

I'm reading this book about conversation that reminds me of you.  The author is making the point that we are losing our ability to connect in person because of all these new devices that allow us to be connected all the time.  The iPad that I'm writing on is less than 5 years old, and it is considered obsolete.  The rush to have the latest and greatest device with means to connect never ends.  Lately I have felt the urge to write notes by hand.  Stationery doesn't need to be charged or updated.

I wonder what you would have thought of all this technology.  I think you still would have loved connecting and conversing in person.  My memories are rich with images of you having conversations with many diverse people.  I remember how you loved Mrs. Spangler from our church, and how you enjoyed talking to her during Coffee Hour.  She was like another grandmother to Jim and me.   I remember how you loved Mrs. Wilker's strawberry rhubarb pie and the grin on her face every time she gave you one to take home.  I see you and Mr. Oreshack wearing tan sports coats, smiling and talking.  I see you in the front pew with your tape recorder every time Mom sang a solo in church.  I see countless friends coming to see you in the hospital.  I remember Mr. Kern especially.  I see you talking to streams of people at the Oshkosh Air Show about your new found passion of stained glass.  I see you making new friends at that Air Show from far away like Bruce from Australia.  I see you teaching Jim and I how to keep score while watching your Cubs play my Phillies at Wrigley.  I remember how your hugs felt when my tears came on days when my Phillies lost.  I see you at extended family gatherings soaking up conversation with everyone.  

When I think about technology and conversation, my thoughts drift to my first grade students.  Every year listening seems to be more of a challenge for them.  This book is causing me to question my actions in the classroom a lot.  I need to stop multi tasking period.  Email can wait.  My students are why I teach.  

Sometimes my to do list blinds me to how important it is to consistently communicate to my students how special and important they are.  I need to figure out how I can change and grow to help my students improve their listening skills.  I need to slow down.  In my opinion, that should be at the top of the Common Core: teaching kids (and teachers) to slow down and listen.   

Today when I realized an online subscription to books had lapsed, I gave a parent a recommendation for library books because I couldn't print out a book for her.  The truth is I should be giving library book recommendations all the time.  I've come to favor convenience, but does convenience help my students become better readers?  Nope.  

The author of this book doesn't want us to dump our devices.  She wants us to reclaim conversation.  Keeping screen time in its place leaves more time to reconnect in person.  This leads me to that miracle I mentioned earlier.

I am so grateful that you introduced Jim and me to baseball.  My love for baseball has connected me with so many wonderful people.  Baseball conversations always lead to deeper connections for me with those people who love the game as much as I do.  Jim and I enjoy how baseball connects our past to our present.  It's the one common interest we got to share with you when you were healthy. 

Baseball connected all of us this week.

Remember that miracle I keep referring to?  On Wednesday, November 2, 2016, your Cubbies won the World Series.  We were all together to cheer for them.  You would love this team, Dad.  They have such a remarkable heart for the game and for each other.  Jim and I imagined that you were watching from a premium heavenly seat and that Ernie Banks was right there along side you.

http://m.mlb.com/video/v1211240483/eldredge-leads-cubs-in-singing-go-cubs-go/?affiliateId=clubMEGAMENU

If the Cubs can win the World Series, I'm inclined to believe that's tangible evidence that anything is possible.  We will get back to having meaningful conversations.  All these issues I'm pondering are opportunities for growth and not things I should be worrying about.  

I promise to slow down, listen more, laugh more, and always make time for people.  Thank you for giving me a love for baseball and for showing you me that your faith was your best legacy of all.  

Love,

Ellen