Day 15: Gratitude For Dad

I try not to get too emotional in this public forum, but if there is one thing to get emotional about, its Dad. Since meditating on graditude is one of my goals for the summer, I thought, what better subject for my gratitude than my father on Father's Day?

I am grateful to have a father who has loved me and cared for me since the moment I was born (and before that, too). I am grateful that his caring, compassionate and generous nature was the role model I had of love growing up -- it undoubtedly shaped what I looked for in a life partner. I am grateful that my dad has always been my biggest fan, cheering me from the audience at dance recitals and the sidelines at basketball games and every single field hockey game I played in high school -- home and away. I'm grateful that he still managed to move me into my freshman year dorm the day after he was in an accident on his motorcycle; that's a good example of how selfless he is for the people he loves. I'm grateful that he loves Shawn and Ginger. I'm grateful that he walked me down the aisle at my wedding and was silly with me during our father-daughter dance, just the way I wanted it to be. 

I'm grateful that, even though Shawn and I are two capable 30-somethings living on our own, my dad will still make time to come over and help us hang shelving -- and be able to do in 10 minutes what we couldn't manage to do in two days. I'm grateful to have a dad who can fix just about anything and make magic out of metal.

But most of all, I'm grateful that despite two heart attacks and numerous other health scares (and motorcycle accidents) my dad was still able to be there during one of the most important times in my life. And nine months later, he was there to see me graduate from business school, too. 

I know how lucky I am to have both my parents alive and well. I know how special it is that I can live an hour away from them and still have the job and the life that I want. I never want to be far from my parents becuase they love and support me, and my dad is always so happy when I come home and just hang out there for a few days.

The night after my graduation, I spoke to my dad on the phone. He thanked me for inviting him and my mom and my brothers to the graduation and the brunch after. Now that Shawn and I were married, we were creating our own little family, he said, filled with our friends, Ginger and our future kids (I guess). No, I told him, my family included him and my mom and my brothers, and it always would. He didn't have to thank me for including them, they would always be wanted and expected to join in. I'm not sure if that message made it through to my dad, but I hope it did.

Love you, Dad. Happy Father's Day.