For David

Here I am again after a lengthy absence. There have been many changes since my last posting. The most important is the passing of my father-in-law, our only surviving parent. I wrote of some of my feelings as I sat with him the last few weeks of his life.

I see a man I've known for years,
A man who took care of everyone,
Now frail and sick,
Needing others to care for him.


I see a man of strength and weaknesses,
A human being with imperfections,
A man who cared about family,
But sometimes couldn't show it.

I see a man I've grown to love as a father,
Now failing before my eyes,
But smiling when he hears my name
For a litttle while, until his mind clouds again.

I see a man reduced to a single bed,
Half a closet,
Some pictures on a wall,
And wonder why, or if it matters?

I see gentle hands and hurried hands
that touch him now,
Hands that care,
And hands that are just doing a job.

And I wonder, where are the hands that
he held for so many years?
Where is the forgiveness that is sought
In an unspoken plea?

I see a man that has asked for
Forgiveness from his God,
And know that others must do the same,
And in that forgiveness there is peace.

And at last I see a man who is near the end
of his journey here,
Where pain and struggling cease to exist,
And his spirtual path is completed.

I knew a man that allowed me to
Share his final moments,
As he took his last walk with God
Leaving a bond that can not be broken.

David Winzer Benson was a gentle, kind man who affected many lives in his community. His absence will be felt greatly by those who knew and loved him. He quietly passed on November 16th, 2006 and life for me will never be the same.