Today is my Dads birthday!!! Father of 6, Grandfather to 9 so far. What can I tell you about my dad? First of all hes not a perfect man, he is however the first man I loved. So much in fact that I listened to the music he listened to, read the books he read, and enrolled in University in pre-Pharmacy like he did. I lived my whole young life trying to impress him. He was a hard working man, with high standards not easily impressed. Although secretly I think he is. Even after my rebellious ways he seemed to understand why that happened, he is a very wise man, indeed. He always talked about leaving a legacy behind, and I think although we were raised by a stern voice and a hard hand we learned respect, manners, the value of hard work. He truly did the best he could for all of us, and when he knew better he did. When my dad got sick with Pancreatitis in the 80s he was never the same. I remember going to see him in the hospital and having to go sit in the hallway with my head between my knees, because the sight of him hooked up to all those machines was too much for me to bear. My dad had always been a very fit and healthy man, who could outwork a man twice his size I am sure, and there he lay, a shadow of his former self. My dad and I have enjoyed many long conversations about life, the origin of it, the meaning of it. I respect my dad so much and always knew I could turn to him in times of crisis, for advice. He is one of the smartest men I know. He taught me the names of the constellations, I watched him nurse sick calves back to health, I learned to love the smell of dirt and see the potential there. I used to love reading the little notes he left for my mom. In a thunderstorm he didnt tuck and run but rather he would load us up and go for a drive in it. He taught me what the different clouds meant, how it could predict the weather. Say what you want, and many have but my dad has lived his whole life in a very passionate way, driven by things unbeknownst to me. My dad suffers from chronic pain now amongst other things and so I dont see him as often but when I do, or when I call and he answers the phone, it is bittersweet. His sickness has taught me just how short life is. He buried his daughter and that changed him too but who could judge him for being the way he is. He has been witness to more pain and suffering than one would think humanly possible. But he has remained stoic in the face of it all. And we enjoyed really great times with him, like his Tune Parties, I am so fortunate to have my dad. And grateful, for no one has taught me more than him, the good, the bad and the ugly. I highly doubt that I turned out how he wanted, he was hoping I would be a lawyer or a pharmacist, maybe an anthropologist. He had such high hopes for me as he did for himself. He nicknamed me Sunshine when I was very young, and I get to be just that at my job. He never came right out and told me he is proud of me, but just the other day he asked me how my store was doing and smiled, genuinely, when I said how great it was to have a busy little business. He has never been to it, but Im betting that he would think it was pretty cool, with all the old albums lining the walls, the ones he listened to and some of my favorite books too. The very things I love so much about him, I love about myself too. So heres to my Dad, lover of music, reader of books, steward of the land and keeper of my young heart.
Posted on: Tue, 01 Apr 2014 13:20:03 +0000
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