Daddy's Birthday

Every year on March 26th we celebrated the birthday of my sweet Daddy. Roy Wayne "Buddy" Cagle was born on March 26, 1933.  He passed away last June.  Mother made a big deal out of birthday's.  She always taught us that YOUR birthday was your special day to celebrate your life and blessings God had bestowed upon you. So every year, Mom would host a big birthday party for Daddy for the immediate family and close friends. 

The party has traditionally been held at Hamp's cabin the last 10 years and Hamp would always fry fish for Daddy.  We would all trek in for the party with gifts for the man who had everything.  As our lives got busier, our kids grew up and we moved farther away from home, it became more and more difficult to find a day that everyone could gather for the "party".  But Mother always insisted that we celebrate the birthday of Daddy and we always knew that it could be the "last" birthday we ever celebrated with him. 

We would bring gifts of an interesting nature.  He got a squirrel bungee for the backyard, an strange tool that would do just one special thing, a rock that came from an interesting place or a handmade knife (as if he didn't have enough) that was made especially for him.  He always delighted in the gifts, the cake and the fish but at the end of the night when we sang "Happy Birthday dear Daddy", he would always say that the best gift of all was having us all together as a family to fellowship with him.

I learned many lessons from my Mother and Daddy but one of the most important lessons is to love your family and enjoy the love they have for you.  Little did we know that last year was the LAST year that we would ever celebrate Daddy's birthday with him.  As I reflect today on him, I join my Mother and sister and our "family" as we celebrate his life in spirit with him.  He was a great man and I was so blessed to call him my Daddy. 

Daddy, I especially miss you today because I did not get to celebrate your birthday with you this year.  I hope you are celebrating in Heaven with those who have joined you there!  I love you and I miss you so much.  You were a great Daddy!