That Stubborn Young Sea Bee

Dad was a Sea Bee in WWII. Sea Bees are a hardy, tough, devoted and stubborn type of folk. They work hard and they play hard. They are the builders of the American Navy. They are the construction crews of the battle field. They build roads and airstrips and anything else you can think of while under enemy fire. Nothing stops a Sea Bee.  They don't give up until the job is done. 

So, how do you convince the stubborn young Sea Bee inside a tired, disease ridden 88 year old body, it is time to rest?  It is time to go on to his next great adventure? That the job here is done. 

Dad hasn't had the easiest life. He lost his own dad while he was still only 12. He went to the Philippines as a young Sea Bee in WWII where he lost his leg in an altercation with an airplane propeller. Sea Bees are tough, and can win in any bar fight, but the airplane propeller won that one. 

In surgery, the surgeons didn't think they'd get him off the table, he proved them wrong. In recovery, he had lost so much blood, they didn't expect him to live more than a few days, wrong again. This young Sea Bee wasn't going to let anyone tell him he wasn't going to finish the job. 

Other instances over Dad's lifetime have have threatened his life and the stubborn young Sea Bee pulled him through every single time. In 1988 he had a quadruple bypass surgery and the Sea Bee was there to pull him through. 

That stubborn young Sea Bee has served Dad very well over his long life. He is still 22 and loves proving people, especially doctors, wrong. 

How do I convince the Sea Bee in Dad, the job is done. He raised his family, he doesn't need to take care of us anymore. He taught us well. He taught us to love, laugh and work hard. He taught us to tinker, create and build. He showed us how to live a good life and be a great human being. He lived by example and taught by example. He showed us, good guys do finish first. 

How do I convince him it is time for him to take care of... well, him. He has always been the one to take care of someone. He took great care of us kids and my mom. He took great care of his mom as she advanced in years. He took care of his alcoholic brother after his mom died and he was unable to take care of himself. He let Willie and the kids and me move in for two years when we had tough times. He was there for my sister whenever she needed him. He took care of my brother until the day Dad moved in with us. He watched his son die in a hospice two years ago. 

Dad's job is done. He deserves to rest. He deserves to be free of a body that is exhausted and a brain that keeps his thoughts and soul trapped. He deserves to be whole again sailing on the seven seas. He deserves his next great adventure.