Cheers to Us (A Poem, and Some Words)

/ Katie

Cheers to us!
To you and me,
to your guitar and my suede boots,
my voice and your white hat.
To the music
we make together,
and the laughs.
As seasons pass and time goes on,
I’m lucky every day that
you’re my dad.

My dad starts salvage radiation for prostate cancer later this month, and I’ve been thinking about him and holding him in my heart these last several days as his treatment plan becomes clear. He’s the happiest, most friendly person you’ll ever meet, and watching him struggle with this diagnosis has been heartbreaking. But he’s also strong and brave, and he’s going to show cancer why you don’t mess with a hillbilly and his guitar.

I know it’s odd to write this post now with Mother’s Day coming up here in the US, but cancer doesn’t choose a convenient time. So, this one’s for him. I’ll write one for my mom – who is going to be with him every step of the way – next week. But for now, please leave a few kind words for my sweet dad if you have a minute. He’ll see them and appreciate them, and so will I.

24 thoughts on “Cheers to Us (A Poem, and Some Words)”

  1. damn, i hate knowing anyone is ushered into cancer’s unwelcome club. i am praying fiercely for your ever-loving, friendliest-ever, hillbilly, blessed papa! may the two of you sing songs for a long long while to come. xoxoxo

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    • Thank you so much! It really is the club no one wants to join. I hope, though, that he finds solidarity and hope in knowing he’s not alone and can ask for support and advice from others on the same journey. Thank you so much for the kind words!! I know he’ll appreciate them. 🙂

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  2. To your musician father and you and your mother, my words would be Willie Nelson singing Hands on the Wheel. My favorite two lines: “At a time when the world seems to be spinning hopelessly out of control”…”Now my hands on the wheel of something that real and I feel like I’m goin’ home.” And as part of the family of humankind, the thing my father said to me once has stayed with me all these many years. “When no one else will stand by you, your family will.” You have the power of your own family and all those who love you, and those of us in the family of humankind who have come to know you and care about you who will be standing by you, even if only virtually. May you be surrounded by all you need.

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    • Thank you so much for the lyrics, and the sweet and wise words of your father, and the kind words of your own!! I appreciate them, and I know my dad will, too. I’m so grateful for you and for the connection we’ve built here. 🙂

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  3. I am sending your dad and your family a lot of love and strength. He sounds like an amazing dad and a very fun person to be around. I know he’s going to get better really fast so he can spend lots more time with his family.

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  5. Now I’m a bit biased but I believe that there’s never a bad time to recognize great dads and it sounds like you’ve got one Katie. Kudos to both your parents. And yes some extra little bit of courage and hillbilly strength to your dad as he starts this journey. Like you wrote, you don’t mess with a man and his guitar! Beautiful post! 🎶🎶🎶😎😎😎

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  6. I pray for strength as he goes through this treatment, and that he receives cancer-free news at the end so he can continue to share life with your mom, you, and his granddaughter for many more years.

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