Thankful for Mom & Dad in 2020

My parents always told me, “Don’t be late.”

When someone serves you food, “Clean your plate.”

My mom’s no longer with us, neither is my dad.

If you know the feeling, then you know I’m very sad.

Mom would have been 90 this year, dad 95.

But the spring of 2020, whew… what a year to be alive.

I wonder if they could have handled it, with all the stress

of social distancing, and all that mess.

No shaking hands, no hugging, no kisses on the cheek.

All the things my mom liked to do, every day of the week.

No fist bumps, no high fives, no pats on the back.

My dad, the baseball coach, would have trouble with that.

Rationing food after the Depression, scraping the bottom of the jar,

stories of World War II, and fear of terror from afar.

My parent’s generation went through a lot, but I might ask,

“Is life and liberty worth it, if you have to wear a mask?”

No baseball, basketball or any sports, even schools are closed.

“How are we supposed to deal with this?” Nobody really knows.

Our moms and dads that are no longer with us would say “Hold my beer.”

“Everything’s going to be alright, you just have to persevere.”

I miss coaching baseball, the kids at school, and going out.

But my mom and dad, God bless ‘em, would know what it’s all about.

“There’s light at the end of the tunnel, and there’s a reason for this.”

I can feel my dad’s wisdom, along with my mom’s kiss.

So even though it’s scary, we’re going to make it through,

My boy will be hitting triples again, and maybe turning two.

I pray for all that have struggled more than my family and me.

But most of all, I thank my mom and dad for the faith to believe.