Notes from the Landslide

96
Keith Perkins
August 24 at 10:17pm
“Love is not written on paper for paper can be erased. Nor can it
be etched on stone, for stone can be broken. But it is inscribed on a
heart and there it shall remain forever.” ~~ Anonymous
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I had the humble fortune to spend the evening with Mr. and Mrs.
Diaz at their home, with my sons, Kori, Danielle, KariMae, and
Kori’s bud Kelly from college. It was a quiet gathering of the Diaz
family, relatives, and their friends. I appreciated the opportunity to
spend some quality time with Mr. Diaz outside, in the sun, talking
as Dads. Mostly me listening to his reflections of fatherhood for
these two.
It struck me time and time again, as I listened to Mr. Diaz, at how
heavy the heart is, and will be for a while.....as we talked about his
two sons, my two sons, and fatherhood.......the things we do as
parents, as dads, to help them prepare for life.....and then, when
it is time, to let them go be their “selves” in growing up in life. I
appreciated listening to a similar perspective of being a dad to these
sets of brothers, his and mine. He talked about how he raised them
to have respect, to listen and learn, to get ready for life. And at the
same time, enjoy living life to its fullest with no regrets. To live it
such that there would be no looking back, no second guessing, just
appreciating how they lived life fully.
He looked down below us at my two sons and talked about the
friendship they had with his sons, about allllll those guys who his
sons hung out with. He quietly smiled at who Elmer and Uli were
and are - the 10 decibal video games, the laughing, arguing and
making up as brothers, the inseperable bond they had for each
other. He was overwhelmed with the community turning to help
him, his wife, and his family in this moment. I gently suggested to