Anna wanted to express what good, solid, loyal parents they are. Parents who love God, the church and their children. Their devotion and loyalty to their children are appreciated. That they are honest with their dealings with others; they don't take sides with anyone. They are, she believes, soul mates.



I Do

There are good and bad parents in this world,

a definition that, at times, is hard to make,

but when you strike really great parents,

well, that simply is the icing on the cake.

So, what defines greatness?

I guess it comes from the very inside,

and I know that I could not have picked finer parents,

I could not - even if I had tried.

You see, I have good, solid, loyal parents,

parents who love their God, their church and their own,

and I am just so very grateful to them,

I am very thankful for all the love that they have shown.

They have been my inspiration in life,

They have been my guide, my shining light,

They have steered us to tread on good grounds,

and their love has shone so constant and bright.

Their love has shone through their patience,

and at times, I will admit that I have put that to the test,

their love has shone through their guidance,

and some of their advice has proven to be the very best.

They have always taken the time to talk to us,

for that we thank them with all our hearts,

they have played such a significant role in our lives,

and they have both played a mighty fine parts.

Dad was always a good provider,

but also he provided his wisdom to share,

he taught us morals and values for living,

and that it was always important to care.

He is actually a very generous man,

but does not believe in wasting anything,

conservative in his nature,

always cautious about what tomorrow may bring.

My mother is also my friend,

and I am so proud to be her daughter,

she has a warm gentle spirit,

she is like streams of free flowing water.

I remember my sister and I racing to untie Daddy's boots,

He had be tired at the end of his working day,

he would sit back and rest,

and we, of course, would then go out to play.

I remember sitting at breakfast on a Sunday morning,

and naturally, we would all say Grace,

and I remember John running behind the truck,

you should have seen the look upon his face.

And we have so many happy memories,

too many to be individually told,

but those memories will last many a lifetime,

precious treasures that we will always hold.

Because, it is simply wonderful when two people live their lives,

in a way that others notice and want to be like that,

it is nothing to brag nor boast about,

but rather, something to be thankful for, and that is a fact.

Because, when soul mates live in harmony,

others see it and desire it too,

and I think the finest words ever spoken,

were fifty years ago - and they were "I do".

Copyright Allen Jesson 1998