Father's Day has always been a fun holiday for me and my brother. When we were younger, we got to spend mom's money on things for Dad so of course we spared no expense. We took the standard gift of a tie one step further one year and got dad a rotating tie mechanism that may still be his favorite gift to this day. Brad and I always try to go together to get Dad something for father's day that he can use and wouldn't buy for himself, which is pretty much anything. My dad is one of the most selfless people I have ever known. Ever since I can remember, dad always made sure that we all had what we wanted or needed before he would even think about going to shop at a liquidation sale for himself. This is why we always got him such "great" gifts for Father's Day. This year I want to use two of Dad's favorite lines as a literary gift to him.
I was reminded after writing my last blog entry about another thing my dad always used to say, "It's only temporary." He used this one all the time. Whether Kentucky had just lost a game, I had struck out, had a job interview, I was nervous about leaving for college, or was going through a tough time, Dad always comforted me with those three simple words. It is amazing how such a simple idea helped me in so many different times in my life. I was and am extremely lucky to be able to pick up the phone and get the kind of advice I do from my parents. Some people make alot of money giving the kind of counsel that Brad and I have required from the Jeff and Dianne counseling center. It took me a while to realize that the things that I worry and get so bent out of shape about are only temporary. It also took me awhile to put together the deeper meaning of that comment. Everything in our life is temporary because life itself is temporary. It is our job to do the best we can with the talents and abilities that God has given our earthly bodies. That is why we need to take care of them. It seems like just a few years ago I was a sophomore in high school and couldn't wait to get out of the house, so I thought. I would give anything to be able to go back into that house and spend more time with my parents around the table instead of acting like a 16-year old with my door shut and headphones on. I can't go back, but what I can do is take advantage of now. This brings me to the last paragraph about my dad.
Our family has, was, and always will like to have fun, even if that fun might come at each other's expense. We like to give Dad a hard time when he gets our names confused (apparently it is harder to tell 2 children with a 4-year age difference apart than you may think) or when he speed walks through a store/theme park leaving the rest of us in the dust. Many times growing up Dad would love to pick on us, but when we turned around with a rebuttal, we got a pity party given to us in the form of dad's infamous "Y'all will miss me when I'm gone." We laugh and go on about our business, but as I reflect this week on dad and how he has helped get me to where I am in my life, I look a bit differently at that comment. Anyone who has ever lost a loved one knows that after they are gone we reflect on what they truly meant to us. Many times we think about what else we could've said to that person that we no longer have the opportunity to speak to. If only they knew how we felt about them or if only we could've spent more time with them. I am so lucky to have such great family support all around me. This week though I want to thank my dad for being a great example of what a father should be. I can't remember a game he wasn't on the sidelines for, a defining moment in my life that he didn't help me realize was possible, or a time when I just needed some support and couldn't call him. I hope that someday I am lucky enough to have a family of my own because I think I have a really good idea of what it's like to be a great dad. If you still have the chance, let your dad know what he means to you this year. If your father isn't around anymore, don't waste time with the rest of your family and friends. Life is temporary and you will miss them when they are gone. I love you Dad and thanks for setting the bar high. Happy Father's Day!
*By the way Brad and I did buy dad 2 things this year that he wanted just last week on our vacation but wouldn't by for himself. Some things will never change. Also, I am just starting to write this blog and spent this week talking about my dad, but could start an entire website dedicated to the other half of my parents. My wonderful mother, the editor, will get her literary masterpiece when I learn how to punctuate.
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