Every so often a person enters our lives to make us realize the common joys we share as fathers and husbands. One such man was "Sparky" aka Dr Mark Mathison.
Our son's became friends when they entered dental school. It was an exciting time for them as they anticipated their futures in dentistry. As parents we encouraged and prayed that all would go well. It did.
One of the common interests the boys shared was hunting as did their dads. About 10 years ago Justin and I were invited to join Mark and "his boys" for a hunt in SK Canada. We had a "blast" literally...pun intended.
Mark was 10 years older than myself. Sparky, a mountain of a man in size and personality became my scouting partner. "Old Eagle eye... Sparky" could spot geese miles away much to my chagrin...we bonded immediately around our boys, families and hunting.
Over the next 8 or 9 years we spent hours in the truck scouting each afternoon sharing our hopes and dreams for our families. Mark and Marg had seven kids. He had a lot to talk about. Mark was so proud of his family. He held each child and grandchild in his heart with reverence. Oh he would be blustery at times and put on a tough front but deep inside was this soft man who loved each of his offspring in a special way.
We shared losses and hurts that the boys didn't hear about that we had shared between dads. We laughed and teased each other till our sides ached. We even found lots of geese but the boys thought we were just sitting outside of town visiting with "the locals". Their comments were centered around "Really? How many? Are you sure? Did you get permission?" Occasionally we would hunt the fields we scouted and to their surprise we had nailed it. Not always but more often than not.
Mark succumbed to a battle with cancer recently. Our last phone conversation when he was hospitalized was filled with hope of one more hunt together with our boys. Sparky had it all figured out how to take his oxygen into the layout blind in SK. We laughed and agreed we were blessed to have our boys to set up and take down the decoys while we "rested/slept" in the trucks at 4am each morning.
I'm going to miss giving Sparky "the needle" when scouting. He would NEVER go and ask permission,"I don't do that he'd say." (with a smile) "But it's your turn...!!" He'd just sit there until I got out and went to seek permission. I may have called him a name or two as I left the truck. Sparky would just laugh at me.
As dads you only get so many days to share one-on-one times with your adult sons or their dads. Thanks Sparky for taking us in and giving Justin and myself these precious memories of times well shared with your family.
