Thanks Dad
8:30 AM
Timothy, it's impossible to buy gifts for you for multiple reasons, so I'm not going to try this year. Here's your gift...
I think our lives are made up of the little moments, not the big ones.
Like the time you bought twenty-five turkeys for families in need or lunch on the patio where we were arguing and sorting through our crap at the same time or the day we spent painting at the house. I watched you share the ice cream cone with your grandkids because grandpas get to give kids ice cream for breakfast if they want. Those moments, those are my favorite. It was nothing big or huge, just daily life and daily conversations. Sometimes those moments come in the form of interaction and sometimes they are just the things we notice about other people.
Dad, thank you for teaching me about accepting other people...all people. You never really mentioned it but I watched you and learned. It's where I learned the most.
You were great with finances, so I learned that I shouldn't spend what I don't have. Ok, you also mentioned that one a few several hundred times as well.
You read and researched and learned, so I learned to do that too. You shared articles. You asked if I had seen this or that. Thank you for constantly teaching me.
When people needed help you were the first one to help out, so I learned that we always lend a hand. Almost all of the memories, I have, of us being at other people's houses involved you, at some point, fixing something. You said you got good at fixing things because you're good at breaking them but, really, you're just a good guy.
When things were broken you fixed them right away, so I learned that we take care of our things and don't leave them ruined. Oh the smell of Home Depot, to this day, screams "Childhood." Hours and hours were spent in that store looking for the right tools or perfect piece of wood or certain sized screws.
If you didn't know something you learned, so I learned that we don't need to know all the answers we just need to know where to find them. I was always fascinated by men who were unwilling to ask for directions. Your confidence is apparent when you are willing to ask anyone for assistance.
You worked hard at your job and were so good at it so I learned to take pride in my work. I loved hearing about how much people loved working for my dad. I guess when I was young I thought everyone was great at their jobs but that's not true. Thanks for being the perfect mix at work-a man people loved to work for as well as kicking ass and taking names to surpass your quota every year.
You were on time for everything, so I learned that it's important to value other people's time and be on time too. I still remember you meticulously quoting times for our arrival to others. We will be there in 14 minutes...and we were. I thought you had magic powers.
You gave to others, without a second thought, so I learned that we should give when and what we can. Oh how many times I watched you buy things for or donate to others without ever even mentioning it. It's almost like giving gets cheapened when we talk about it but you didn't talk about it, you just did it. In fact, had I not been paying very close attention, I'm not sure I would have known just HOW much you were giving...but I was watching.
You couldn't carry a tune to save your soul so I learned...eh, some things I learned from Mom ;)
Happy Father's Day to you Dad! I love you so very, very much.
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