Wakingup with the sunrise is the best feeling in the world. Such wasthe feeling on the first morning of my family's vacation inWisconsin.

The day started off well, with the customarytasty pancakes and bacon prepared by my father. This was oneof the best traditions. My brother and I were filled withanticipation on this clear, sunny day in the cool north woods.Today, our father had pro-mised, we would go waterskiing forthe first time.

We were given brief lessons on thedock. My dad said to keep our arms straight and let the boatpull us. Finally, five of us jumped into the boat and headedout to the center of the lake.

Miraculously, I was atalented skier, for a neophyte. After I was pulled into theboat, my father decided to try. The boat dropped me at thedock. My father turned out to be an excellent skier, but whenthe boat rounded the curve in front of the dock, my fatherfell face-first into the water. A wave of chuckles brushedover the dock as my father flipped over several times beforecoming to a complete stop.

Amusement quickly vanishedas fear and shock darted through my body. My father's frienddove into the water after him and struggled to pull my fatheronto the dock. His body was pale and still. Then I wasblind-sided by the horrifying thought ... my father may bedead!

As my mother performed CPR, the blaring siren ofthe ambulance came closer and closer. After the four EMTs fromthe ambulance ran to work on my father, they put him on astretcher and carted him away. My father was pronounced dead30 minutes later. My family's vacation had been transformedinto a nightmare.

As I sat in the cabin asking myselfwhat I had done to deserve this, I realized that less than anhour before I was sitting on the dock with my siblingsenjoying the clear, sunny day. The thought that my fatherwould die in the next hour had never come close to entering mymind. One hour, though, dramatically changed the rest of mylife. Although I could not grasp the concept that I wouldnever again see my father, I later discovered the harshreality - death is an instant of eternity.

A weekbefore our vacation, my father had coached my youth soccergame. The next day he had taken me to one of my wrestlingmeets. Three days before I had sat at the end of our drivewayas usual, waiting for him to return from work. I had ridden upthe driveway sitting on his lap. I always went to the golfcourse with him to watch him hit the ball like a pro. I hadalways enjoyed his company, but I would never see him againexcept in my dreams.

Three weeks after vacation, myfather was supposed to take me to my first select soccertry-outs. My first year in middle school was rapidlyapproaching, and my father would have watched me go undefeatedin wrestling. In the future, I would graduate from high schooland college. Hopefully I will someday enter medical school,and get married. I have to do all of these without my father.Who would I ask about how to be a man? I would have to have myfriend's father teach me how to tie a necktie or shave. Theinstant that my father died I was robbed of all the times Iwould have spent with him. This instant in time has and willlast for an eternity, as death always does.