Yesterday was my dad’s birthday and we are going out with them to celebrate tonight. Birthdays are always a great time to remember how special people are to you.
My fondest memories are just spending time with my dad growing up. He took time out of his schedule to be with me. There were times almost every day it seemed. Little things like working around the house, yard, or cars. It seems like something always needed fixing and he could fix anything. Unfortunately for my wife I did not inherit that skill. He also involved me in his hobbies such as “ham radio”, and computers. On the weekends he would carry me hunting and we would spend time in the car on the way and back just talking.
You never realize what a priority that was in his life until you have a job, responsibilities, and a family. What makes that so different than today’s world is that we make such a big deal when we spend time with our kids. We make sure everyone knows about it, we facebook about it, and tweet about it. For him we were just doing life together. It was a natural flow and not some event to be broadcast. He actually enjoyed spending the time with me.
My Father also loved my mother. As a child you do not realize how special this is until you meet those whose life is not like yours. I never saw my parents fight although I am sure there were times when they disagreed about things; they never created an environment where you were afraid. It was a very stable house.
My Father also made sure we made it to church each week. He was a deacon and a leader. He also became my R.A. Director (Royal Ambassador) at church when I went through that program. He not only invested in me, but many other young men as well who always seemed to say how much he meant to them as well when we would see them years later. He gave time – the one commodity that is more precious than money and the one thing you cannot replace with money or gifts.
Thanks for the heritage Dad !
