This week, the famous and very talented writer, Pat Conroy died. He is best known for his books The Great Santini and The Prince of Tides, among others. In particular the novel The Great Santini, about an abusive military father and his relationship with his family, was largely autobiographical. Conroy's father, a decorated marine fighter pilot, was a great soldier and a bona fide war hero.
But he was also a terrible husband and an abusive father, who scarred Conroy for life. One of Conroy's later novels was entitled South of Broad. It was set in Charleston, S.C. and one of its main characters was a loving and lovable father.
This was uncharacteristic in his stories. In one of the articles I read after his passing, Conroy had commented in an interview about developing this story with a good father in it by saying, "I always needed one, so I created one."
How sad.
He always needed one so he created one in his fiction.
Some of us had loving and wonderful fathers. Some of us did not. But everyone needs such a father, whether they realize it or not.
Here is what Conroy apparently did not know; we each have a loving father and we do not have to "create him" because He first created us.
And as I John tells us, "We love because He first loved us."
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Hope you are safely at home tonight, with the Father who loves you and created you. There is no need for any of us to create one for ourselves.
Blessings to you ~ Marsha
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