September 18, 2015 {261/365} Orange slices
When I started my Project 365 nearly three years ago, I resolved to take a photo each day of something beautiful, interesting, or meaningful. I've shared hundreds of photos, and over the years, my choices have evolved into mostly images of what I find beautiful. I try to assign meaning by finding inspiring quotes or doing some creative writing, but I seem to have shifted from my original intention. So, today's photo is neither beautiful nor interesting, just profoundly meaningful.
Today is September 18th. Every year on this day, I feel sad and empty like I'm missing a piece of myself. This morning's steady rain seemed to echo the tears in my heart, adding to my melancholy. Nineteen years ago today, we lost my dear dad, and although it feels like forever since I've seen the twinkle in his blue eyes or heard him whistling in the garage, it still feels hard to believe that he's gone.
This afternoon, one of my colleagues offered me an orange slice -- those sugary candies that we used to share on road trips or while bobbing on the lake, waiting for the fish to bite. And suddenly, Dad was here and I remembered that he always will be.