'WHAT MORE COULD WE POSSIBLY BE THAN SWEETNESS IN ANOTHER'S LIFE?"

Photo by Sandra Hammel
Dad's man-made lake in Indiana

I am going through writings, including those that I have done about my father. My father passed away May 10, 2007. He had a diagnosis of Alzheimers, though clearly he didn't have AD, although it was a dementia of some kind. I found these words in regards to my dad, in my writing after a very emotional experience with my mother and dad in August of 2006 ~ "What more could we possibly be than sweetness in another’s life?" Sweetness in my life - felt still, in this life, from yours where you are now, Dad.

Though raised to be religious, I don't consider myself religious now. I do consider myself very spiritual. Having said this I still love the hymns I grew up with. Some favorites, which I embed here for dad and me to share...

................................................

................................................

................................................

................................................

>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>

Below is from a previous post of mine
though-my-dad-died-he-lives-on

The Day My Dad Died I Was On the Phone With Him

When I called, Marcia, a nurse picked up the phone. She said dad’s "pulse is irregular, there are crackles in his lungs, he is non-responsive today, he moaned yesterday when I turned him over".

Below is what I said on the phone call to my dad. He took his last breath at the end of the phone call.

“Hello, dad, this is Sandy from Rhode Island. I love you, dad. I love you so very much. I wish I was there. I would hug you and kiss you. I’m going to sing you one verse of

“The Old Rugged Cross”.

On a hill, far away, stood an old rugged cross,

The emblem of suffering and shame,

But I know that old cross, the dearest and best,

For a world of lost sinners was slain,

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross

Where trophies at last I lay down

I will cling to the old rugged cross

And exchange it some day for a crown.”

I’m coming to Indiana in 6 days, but if you go to heaven before that, just know I’ll see you up in heaven and I’ll hug you and kiss you in heaven. I love you, dad. Can you squeeze Marcia’s hand to say you love me? I love you, dad. Bye

Following this in a couple of seconds, Marcia came on the phone and said:

Sandy, he blinked his eye

I think he’s very close

I think it helped

I’m holding his hand

It’s amazing

He’s waited for you

Beautiful…beautiful

You know, I think he’s gone

I’ve never seen anything like it…..hhhh.

It’s just amazing

I said, what do you mean…

Reply: You and the connection

He waited for you

The healing

He blinked – he doesn’t do that.

I said in response, he was resourceful to the end. He didn't have the strength to squeeze your hand, so he came up with something else.

She responded, How can anyone not believe?

She said, I don’t have my stethoscope, but I think he’s gone

I said, would you get your stethoscope?

She replied: I will. I’ll be right back.

Back, she says: I think he’s gone

I said: Will you touch his hand or arm?

She answered: I touched his forehead

She asked me: Will you be calling Greg?

I said: Yes.

I asked Marcia to stay with me on the telephone. She did.

This was a gift that he gave to me. This was a blessing. I knew it right then.

I shared this story at the funeral service and the singing of “The Old Rugged Cross”.

“Let the world stop turning,

Let the world stop burning,

Let them tell me love’s not worth going through

If it all falls apart

I will know deep in my heart

The only dream that mattered had come true

In This Life I was loved by you.”

From the song “In This Life” sung by Bette Midler

When I went to thank Marcia for all that she had done for my dad, I asked her which eye dad winked with and she said the one near the wall, the left one. I can't even make my left eye wink by itself. But he could. I know he understood everything I said to him. He found a way to say he loved me when I asked. Then...Marcia said she saw him take his last breath. She said she has never seen anyone go like dad, immediately following an exchange. What a gift he gave to me. Such a blessing. Now, he has peace that he so deserved and needed.

What a really cool man he was and continues to be in my life.
A wink has a whole new meaning for me now.

Another tribute post to my dad can be found by clicking the post title.

COLLECTING STORIES ABOUT COACH MARK HAMMEL for HIS BOOK

In the end of September, I called the local newspaper - The Post and Mail- in Columbia City, Indiana, where I spent my childhood from 9 years old through high school. I asked if I could write a letter to the editor or an article about my father. And Ruth Stanley, the Managing Editor was very receptive and said she would publish it as an article. She didn't care how long it was, she was more interested in the story. After I wrote my first draft, she was willing to print it, but I wasn't happy with it, so I offered to edit it. I cut out a lot and ended up with a more concise article.

From Indiana, Cindy Auer found me on Facebook, requested to be Facebook "friends" and said, "I saw your article about your father in the paper. It is nice to honor him in that way. I'm still around CC, but I live in..."

I hadn't been told when the article would be published, so I went looking online and found it. So I did some screen shots and it is below. The article is headlined at the top of the front page and the article is at the top of page of A4 under the topic of OPINION. You can get a free PDF version. I don't know how long this stays on their website. Download document as PDF This document is © 2010 by ryan - all rights reserved.

The Post and Mail
October 9-10, 2010

Click on images to enlarge

Click on images to enlarge

Click on images to enlarge

I received my first response via the email address I provided in the article.