Here’s to You, Dad
I was contemplating extensively this Father’s Day. How has my father helped shape my life? I found myself overwhelmed and grateful for all of the shaping he did in fact do. He was there helping me keep the tears at bay when scrapes and scratches seemed to follow me everywhere I went, but was so quick to sweep me up in the biggest hugs and tell me everything was going to be alright…and I knew if he told me, it would be. Some days I still long for those days of being a little 5 or 6 year old running to meet my dad at the door with a spinning hug and knowing that I was safe and the world couldn’t touch me. I would even threaten some of my friends when I was younger with his mad karate skills…not one of my finer moments.
I’m so grateful he wasn’t afraid to embarrass me(Now that I reconsider the situations, they weren’t embarrassing, they just seemed that way to my 16 year old psyche). I think my skin grew a little thicker and I realized it doesn’t matter what other people think. He knew I wasn’t perfect and never pretended that I was…no delusions of perfection here. It always kept me working harder to be better. And of course everyday he reminded me that as long as I worked hard, I could do or be anything I wanted to.
Sure he was gone a lot with work and there were a couple of weeks here and there I didn’t see him because he was off training in the field, but I have come to realize that even when my father is not physically with me…he still is. I love you, Dad. Happy Father’s Day.