Today is my dad’s 78th birthday. Lee Balentine was born June 22, 1933. He passed away December 23, 1977. That makes 44 years, 6 months and 1 day.
August 28, 2008 was a day that passed with a lot of thought and reflection. That was 44 years, 6 months and 2 days following my birth. Work backwards and you can figure it all out. 🙂
To this day, I still get people who ask if I’m Lee’s son. To this day, I can still go just about anywhere in the country and run into someone I know or who knew him.
That’s something my dad would do.
As the story goes, he stepped off a plane onto the tarmac somewhere in Germany. Before too long, someone yells out “Dynamite!” (That was his boxing nickname.) What are the chances of running into someone half a world away?
It’s because he put a big value on relationships. They weren’t superficial. They weren’t about him. They were about the other person. That’s how he left his mark.
How you will leave you leave your mark?
Happy Birthday dad. Although you’ve been gone a long time, you still left us an example on how to make relationships today. Love you!
Oh, by the way dad, you’ve got some really cool grandchildren. They each have their own abilities and talents. And your son- and daughter-in-law are taking care of your kids very well. We’re all trying to look after mom. Some of us don’t do so great of a job. Others are right in the thick of things.
She’s still got some spunk but she misses you too.
Although it will be nice to reunite, we’re in no rush to see you.
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