Yesterday was Father's Day and I spent it enjoying the attention of my family, but also thinking about my own father who helped to make me the man I am today. He taught me to love learning, music, fishing, and much more. I have his corny sense of humor and his ability to laugh at lots of things, and that certainly includes laughing at myself.
When I think about it, I realize just how much like him I've become. My dad was a Chemical Engineer. I'm a Telecommunications Engineer. He was a performing musician, an operatic tenor. I was a keyboard player in rock and roll bands. He was a great fisherman. I'm a fairly good one (if I do say so myself). He coached my basketball teams to spend more time with me. I coached baseball and basketball for my sons for 11 years. In short, he was an excellent example for me. He lived life with a smile. He loved to learn new things every day, and was as happy to learn from books and journals as through conversations with people, including his own kids as we got older.
Every Father's Day from my birth to 1991 was for me a day entirely about my dad. Just after Father's Day of 1991, my first child (Stephen) was born. The next Father's Day was the single one in my life that I got to experience as both a father and a son. Weeks later, my father passed away. Since then, I'm the father on Father's Day. But I'll never forget the 30 years of my life in which I was the son. Come to think of it, I still am. My dad is still a very big influence on my life.
I miss you dad. You are in my thoughts on this Father's Day – and every other day.
Excellent tribute.
ReplyDeleteLoved this Deke, I never knew you lost your dad so long ago. Every month or so I grab a plane and go to Florida and play two rounds of golf with my dad. It's an expense, and my sibs don't see him more than a couple of times a year, but I know that this time with him is precious and the best use of my time and money. You can't get these years back and I know I will miss it when he can no longer play. But at almost 80 he still can beat me pretty bad. Bought mom an ipad so this is our new thing together....we all need to make time for that generation. I hope my kids do.
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