My Dad and Me

So, in light of the book I am reading "My Dad and Me," I have decided to write a piece about my dad and my relationship with him. Most of you reading this know my dad, and know just what an amazing man he is. I hope and pray that I will be half the father to my kids that he was to me. So here ya go:

What I Learned from My Dad

Sacrifice
Before my parents had me and my sister, my dad had a lot of toys. He had a motorcycle that he rode frequently, a ski boat, and a sand rail. My parents spent their weekends on the lake, at the sand dunes, or out doing stuff. But by the time my dad had my sister and I, most (everything but the boat) of his toys where sold. I'm sure it was a bummer to have to get rid of these cool things, but I never heard him complain about it. When I was around six, my parents
decided that it would be a good family thing to have a pool, so my dad sold the last toy he had, his boat and put in a pool. I didn't realize it at the time, but this was such a huge sacrifice on his part.

Commitment
I don't think I have ever see my dad quit anything. If he said he was going to do it, then he did it. It didn't matter if it was hard or inconvenient, he got it done regardless of the cost. I remember working on projects with him and getting so frustrated. I was always ready to give up. "Its too hard, its not going to work. Just forget it!" I'd yell. Despite my countless pleas, he simply just continued to work, showing by example that giving up was a sure way not to get something done.

If You Are Going to Spend Time Doing Something, Do It Right
My dad loved this quote. He said it to me all the time (probably because I was/am lazy and liked to do things half-assed). He would always tell me to go and redo things because I didn't do it right/complete the first time. I remember when I was in grade school, my handwriting was terrible (mainly because I wrote fast to get it done). According to my dad, if I was writing, I needed to make it neat. No matter what I was writing, he made me do it over if it didn't look nice. I remember one time, I had to take a phone message down for him and the person leaving the message was talking really fast; so I wrote as quickly as I could. When I gave him the message, he said, "Thanks. Now go write it over ten times neatly!" I used to get really angry about this, but I now realize (hindsight is a bitch) that he was teaching me a life lesson: do things right the first time.

Work Ethic
This one goes without saying. My dad is an ox. He simply works and works and works and works some more. Hard work isn't something he turns on or off, its a lifestyle. But the thing I took away most from my dad in the area of work ethic is balance. While my dad has, and always will, worked hard, he also always found time for his family. He coached my little league team (though he had little interest in baseball), he came to all of my elementary, middle, and high school band concerts, he took our family on tons of vacations (including a five week camping road trip across the US), he came to countless Freeverse, Cascara, and Stiletto shows, he spent time helping me with my homework, he wrestled and had water wars in the pool with me, and the list goes on. When it came to family, we were number one.

Compassion
My dad has always had compassion on others. I realized this when a co-worker of mine asked me recently how I became so interested in social justice work. I had to think about it... and when I did, I had a vivid memory of me and my dad in downtown Phoenix. We were getting hungry, so we were looking for a fast food joint. As we drove through the streets, my dad spotted a street person with a cardboard sign asking for food. My dad rolled down the window, and politely said, "Hey, bud. You hungry? Come meet us at Jack in the Box done the road." We met the street person there and my dad bought him a super value meal. I remember thinking that was so kind of my dad. He made a habit of buying food for people on the streets and I looked up to his compassion on those less fortunate than us.

He also helped take care of a woman on our street who was widowed. She had two teenage boys and had a hard time managing a house on her own. Any time there was something to be done to the house, my dad was there taking care of it. He never got paid, it wasn't about money; it was simply about following Jesus' teachings about taking care of the widowed.

As I think about my own development into a person of compassion, I know that I have my dad to thank.

Fun Loving
Every time I think about my dad laughing, I just want to cry with joy. I mean, one of the best things in my life is hearing my dad laugh. When I stop and think about the times we are laughing together, they are some of my favorite memories. I think about this past Thanksgiving when were being so silly in front of Carrie's dad and stepmom. Basically, I wanted to show everyone my power hug (when I was little I would power hug my dad by slamming my face into his belly has hard as I could). So, anyways, I wanted to power hug him and he whispered in my ear, "Please don't, I'm going to crap my pants." I couldn't believe what he said and we just couldn't stop laughing. Tears were streaming down our face and we couldn't help it. It was pure joy.

Honor
I don't think I have ever heard my dad lie. As matter of fact, I know for sure that I never heard him lie. Honesty, honor, and integrity are just a part of who he is. In all his business dealings he never, ever tries to be unfair. His word is a promise and he doesn't go back on it. If he tells you something, there is no doubt that he is being honest and forthright. I remember being in a fast food drive thru and as we pulled away, my dad noticed that the cashier had gave him too much money. Instead of driving off, thanking his lucky stars, my dad took the time to park, get out, and repay the money.

Loyalty
My dad is fiercely loyal. He takes care of people he is close to and/or who work for him. He helped pay for an employee's medical expenses (that weren't covered by insurance), he helped another employee buy an old car he always wanted, and helped yet another employee through tough times. When you are friends with my dad, you have a friend forever.

The thing about my dad that I admire the most is his teaching style. He didn't just say, "This is the way to live. Now go do it." Instead, he lived it. He showed me by example how to be a true man. A man of commitment, a man who does things throughly, a man who has a good work ethic and balance, a man who is compassionate, a man who is fun loving, a man of honor, and a man of loyalty. This is my dad; and I pray, one day, that because of his example, this will be me.