James Hazel Holder Tribute

My Dada was a man of respect, love, humility, he was a family man and everything he did was for his children. How fortunate am I to have only good memories of the man I called my father. I remember growing up all the wonderful times we shared, the pinching, the whistling and the endless trips to the beach. Dada would wake us up at 5am to go to the beach and when we got to the Vigie stretch he would make us race to see who would get there first.
You did not want to get pinched by Dada...boy that would hurt.The whistling was something else, we would sometimes trip over each other to get to him first when he called.
As we got older Dada never got involved in our little fights, never took sides but instead let us solve our problems on our own. The love he had for us was unimaginable and each one of us shared that same love for him. He had a great sense of humor, if he did not hear from me for one week when I finally called he would tell me that he has not heard from me for one year, five months, three days, two hours and five minutes...lollll
Even during his illness Dada was still the same loving, caring man he always was. I thank God everyday that I got the opportunity to spend time with him before his passing. Love was the most common word in our vocabulary, one that we expressed to each other whenever we spoke and I find myself expressing that same sentiment to my son everyday. My last words to my Dada were that he would always be my shining star and that I will always love him. He always loved to hear Min and I sing, strange enough I sang to him before he died.
How am I to deal with the passing of my Dada, everyday since his death I wake up with this empty space in my heart, wanting to pick up the phone to call but to my surprise...yes it is still a surprise...he is no longer here. I cannot hear his voice and although I know that he is with me in spirit that still does not make it easier or takes away the pain and the emptiness I feel inside. I cannot stop seeing his face or remembering the night we got the call, but I know that he is in a better place.
In this time of pain and sorrow I look to God for guidance and strength to deal with the passing of my beloved father, my Dada. May his soul rest in perfect peace and may we meet in the afterlife. RIP My Love...you certainly left your mark here.