My Dad

My dad is a super hero.  No, seriously--he can do anything.  Over the years, he has "rescued" my brothers and I from whatever "monster" was threatening us, never once laughing at how trivial or silly that monster really was.  For example, hen I dropped one of my favorite earrings down the drain, of course I could count on Dad to take the pipes apart and find it for me.  Not only that, but he did all this without ONCE complaining about my carelessness.  

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Dad has driven us all over the country on family vacations, and has never once complained when we needed to stop at ANOTHER rest stop to use the bathroom.  He never missed a band concert, a ballet recital, or an open house at school.  When I registered for the Disney Princess Half-Marathon, I knew without even asking that my dad would come to Florida and get up before dawn to accompany me to the starting line and cheer for me in the crowds.  My dad is a meat eater for sure, but when I moved back in with my parents after college, he learned how to make tofu, quinoa, and protein-rich veggie soups.  We have "vegetarian friendly" stuffing at Thanksgiving now, and black bean burgers are ALWAYS in the freezer.  He even tweaked and re-tweaked a recipe for French Onion Soup until it was both vegetarian AND delicious--no easy feat!

My dad is always the FIRST person my brothers and I call when something goes wrong.  Older Brother immediately called Dad when he broke his arm a few years ago playing softball, even though he lives in Florida and Dad was hundreds of miles away.  You can bet, though, that Dad was on his way to Florida almost immediately to help take care of Older Brother when it turned out that the arm needed surgery.  Oldest Brother has been married and living on his own for years, but Dad is still always the first person he calls when he needs help with something around his house.  I am calling Dad constantly, whether he can realistically help or not.  When my computer crashed (and crashed again...) in college, I called Dad.  When College Roomie and I encountered a snake in the house in Atlanta last week, of course I called Dad.  I think that the three of us just always believe he will be able to solve the problem--even if he can't, there's just something about hearing his voice that helps us calm down and see things more clearly.  Maybe that's because my dad ALWAYS stays calm and thinks rationally.

When any of us needs anything, we never have to ask more than once.  Most of the time, Dad is already thinking ahead of us, doing things for us without us even having to ask.  For example, I got the keys to my apartment Wednesday, and by Thursday morning Dad was already there steam cleaning the carpets and putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls.  Please don't think I'm spoiled or lazy--I didn't ask Dad to do those things.   But that's the kind of person he is, always thinking about his family and taking care of us without us even having to ask.

My dad has taught me so many things.  For one, he showed me the importance and pure joy of reading. Nearly every night of my childhood, Dad would lay at the foot of my bed and read aloud to me--American Girls, Little House on the Prairie, Sweet Valley Kids, Baby Sitter's Club, you name it.  And he never complained once or suggested a less-girly book. :)  Not only that, but Dad has always set an example for me as a reader.  He can often be found on the couch or on the porch reading book after book, just for the love of it.

But most importantly, Dad has taught me what it means to be a truly selfless person, and what it means to be there for your family.  Dad (and Mom!) have also given me the gift of having an example of a truly loving marriage present throughout my entire life.  I'm realizing more than ever how rare that is, and what a gift it has been my entire life.  I have been so blessed to have two wonderful, caring, supportive parents (who continue to love me even though I've been freeloading off of them for the past two post-college years!!).  I hope that someday I can be as good of a parent and person as my Dad has always been.

This postcard from today's Postsecrets says it all--

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