One Final Question

He worked hard all his life…so many hours on his feet…. trying to make enough money so all his ends could meet. He was proud of the work he'd done…but his pride he never flaunted as he provided his family everything they ever needed… If not everything they ever wanted. But now his life was coming to an end…and one question popped into his head as he gazed at all his children gathered round his bed. "I wonder, have you all been happy? " he asked, "I know how often we've been poor…. When I look back on our life together… I wanted to give you so much more…" "I am sorry for what you didn't have"…and at this point the father sighed. "all those things you may have wanted…all those things I couldn't provide." The eldest daughter stopped him…as tears flowed from his eyes. "Poppa", she said, "stop right there…Poppa, " she said, "don't cry…" "We know how much you loved us…have no regrets…no fear… for whenever we needed or wanted you…we knew that you'd be here." "You were here to share our laughter…you were here to share our tears You were here to relish in our joys…you were here to ease our fears…" "The children all moved closer…their expressions gracious and undaunted "Poppa, " they said, "you gave us your time…. which is all we really ever wanted." "We know how hard you worked… there's no reason to be sad because as hard as you worked to provide for us… you worked that much harder being Dad." Yes, he thought the work he did was important… and it was…but in the end his children all conceded… The time he spent just being Dad… was all they ever needed.