Dad

My Dad's birthday is coming up soon, so I thought I'd write a little homage to the old man.

The best part about my Dad is that he was always around. Even though he worked long hours, and we never saw him in the mornings because he often got up for work around 4am, he was always home for dinner. He'd tell us stories about his day and warn us about the hassles of life as we ate together.

When I was little, Dad was a smoker and a big time coffee drinker. His truck always smelled like coffee and cigarettes and saw dust (I will always think of my father when I smell fresh cut wood). For a number of years Dad stayed with my sister and I while our Mom worked some evenings and weekends. We'd ride around in his truck, listening to music, sorting through the piles of hardware or playing with the cup of change he kept. Dad would explain the history of the songs we heard, where he saw the band in concert or how they influenced the whole of music.

For a man intent on imparting all wisdom he possessed to his kids, Dad was also fun to be around. He'd blow smoke rings for us, tell us the ways he got in trouble as a kid himself, let us act like lunatics when Mom wasn't home. He was the kind of man to say "do whatever you want!" when we'd ask him if we could slide around in our socks on the old wood floors and then kindly remove the splinters we got from doing so.

My Dad strives to be holy, to be generous, to delve into the depths of thought without losing his sense of humor. He is sentimental without being a push over. I've always known how much my father loves my mother, teaching me to find a man who respects me and enjoys my company. Dad would pointedly defend us against people who asked him "Don't you want a son?" by telling them "No! I like having two daughters."

When I was looking for a bride/father dance song for my wedding I just couldn't give into any of the sappy songs-- they didn't fit our relationship as a father and daughter. I picked "So Happy Together" by the Turtles because it reminded me of the warmth and love Dad showed me.

My sister and I weren't treated like princesses as I think my father found that rather disempowering. Instead he tried to raise us to be well-read, analytical, idealistic, and faithful. Despite the many differences my father and I sometimes have, I can't thank him enough for being present, loving God, and treating me like a person worth knowing.