yesterday i went to a memorial service for my long time client and cherished friend george my business partner of ten years picked me up and we laughed on the way remembering we waited in a long slow line to walk into the church i don't know if numbers of people at a funeral indicate how loved someone is but yesterday i had to think that was true there was a lot of love in that sanctuary when we approached the guest book i started to sign in for my partner i stopped before i put ink to paper to ask if she wanted me to of course she did i knew that after all of these years together we had a rhythm we both knew i took a deep breathe and relaxed there is such a comfort in knowing and in being known my friend judy was an usher she wanted us to share the program as they were running out i knew i would want to keep mine i loved george i loved the photo the family selected it captured his essence when i saw the face of his children their grief was palpable i gasped when i looked into his daughter's eyes i honestly had to look away the eulogies were so george there was a lot of laughter and of course some tears all of life is this way bitter mixed with sweet i was happy to be there with the mourners saying good bye to a man who helped me on my journey who made me laugh there is no word to describe george he was unique beyond measure in the laughter at his shortcomings i found peace with mine there in that large sanctuary filled with love and grief i prayed with the mourners i sang songs to melodies i did not know i thought about my own father with whom i do not speak and i found peace in that too it's father day and i will celebrate the love of father's for children and children for their fathers i celebrate the man who made me a momma who shows up for our princess who shows up for me i celebrate the men who have fathered me the men who have helped me parent my little girl i celebrate the men who have shown up and the ones who have broken my heart by not showing up all of life is this way the bitter mixed with the sweet i celebrate the life of george the love of his children there in the sanctuary filled with love and grief i prayed with the mourners and sang songs to melodies i did not know and i found peace George Joseph Lissandrello 1938-2010 Keep the angels laughing