Happy Day, Daddy-O!

Happy Daughter's Day...uh, I mean Happy Daddy's Day!  You see, I feel like the one who has been given the best gift on Father's Day.  I have a father who has been everything a dad should be and more.  He has been a true friend.  There are too many lessons learned  from Dad to list them all, but let me share a few of my favorite.

• Your belly button holds your bookey up.  Okay, I just had to get that out there.  If no one ever told you why you have one, now you know. Dad can tell you the whole story.  It's pretty bizarre, but believable when you are six years old.
• "Go wax your car." What Detroit and Japan won't tell you.  Whenever new car fever struck, my dad would tell me to go and wash and wax my car.  Sure enough, a few hours spent primping my ride would usually cure car fever.  Don't forget the wax part.  It's very important that your car shines when you are done, not to mention you''ll be too tired to go car shopping.
• "I didn't send you to college to drop classes."  I was going through some adjustments my freshman year at college and my advisor suggested I drop two of my classes to stand a fighting chance of passing my first semester.  Feeling relief, I gleefully informed my mother of this.  A few hours later, my dad called to tell me I would be doing no such thing and to suck it up and get to work.  I passed the courses and finished school on time and with a GPA that I could actually own publicly.
• Practice makes perfect.  Whether it was learning to jump rope or play the piano, good ole Dad was always there to give me an audience and wipe away the tears of frustration.  In fact, he would inspire me to go beyond learning and strive for perfection.  Not in a pressuring way, but in a "I honestly think you can." kind of way.
• Shortcuts often become scenic routes.  You're not lost when you are taking the scenic route. Your outlook on a situation makes all the difference in the experience you will take away from it.
• Make a difference. He truly enjoys helping people.  He is generous to a fault, but the world needs more people like that.
• "Be careful what you put into writing. You never know who will read it."  Boy, that has been some of the best advice ever.  I had the misfortune of sharing my feelings toward a teacher when I was in junior high only to have the note fall into her hands.  Ouch. On the other hand, I have written down feelings and thoughts to hold on to fresh memories and provide a gift to those I love.  Like my Dad. 

~Happy Father's Day!