Remembering Rick

Here's to a remembering a beautiful spirit-
A man who became a father to my sister and me after he had already raised his own four children to adulthood. He never complained once about having to start over. He only told us daily that marrying our mom was the best thing that happened to him, because not only did he get an amazing wife, but two more beautiful daughters. He loved us with all his heart and made sure that we knew it.
   Rick was the kind of step-dad that made me not want to include the "step" because it seemed to diminish the fact that he parented us as lovingly as our own father did.  
  I vowed never to marry until I had what these two had- an unbelievably strong love for one another that only grew stronger as the years passed. It was a rare love that inspired me and made me believe in happy endings. Now I'm lucky enough to have a love like Mom and Rick had.
 
   He passed on too soon, but will never be forgotten. He was a shining example of unconditional love and an inspiration to us all.