You were the epitome of cliche jokes and the feeling of a warm fire after being in the cold. You were the glue to keep the 1000 piece puzzle together. You were forgiveness in hardships You were hammer and nails on the tool belt that a worker wore with pride each early morning and every sweltering day and all the long nights You were dancing to commercial jingles You were waking up excited Christmas morning to pancakes You were trust You were more than 2 family gatherings on holidays and having time stretched thin between the different 5 ones we had to go and choosing which one we wanted to attend You were a secret holder You were making weekends an hour long trip every weekend You were holding hands with my mom while you drove and talked and laughed so You were taking the role of "dad" when the one who fathered three kids didn't want to be You were love in its best form Until you weren't