Abba

Abba in Hebrew means father. The word is a combination of the two first letters in the Hebrew alphabet; aleph and beit. Transliteration to English, (coincidence?), it's a combination of the first two letters of the English language. It's very subjective, but when I hear the word Abba, I think of wisdom, unconditional love, kindness, safety. This was my father. This past Saturday it was 2 years since he passed away, since I lost him. I miss him. I miss him very much.

I remember sitting in the bathroom in the early morning hours watching him shave. We probably chatted but I don't remember those conversations. I just remember sitting on the bathtub rim, looking up at him as he meticulously shaved his face. It was always calm, I always felt safe.

Many mornings I step out of our bedroom and at the other end of our big loft I see Nina and her Abba sitting at breakfast and chatting. I don't know what they talk about but I see her looking at him as he makes her bowl of cereal. I see her swinging her legs under the table to a playful rhythm in her head and while I can't hear the words, I hear the love in the air. I stay away to give them this private time together. She, too, will remember her mornings with Abba.