It's only when you grow up, and step back from him, or leave him for your own career and your own home--it's only then that you measure his greatness and fully appreciate it.
-Margaret Truman
I remember strange little snapshots of my dad from when I was very little. I remember his cars and his clothes and his busy work schedule. As I get older, I remember his embarrassing habits. Mostly, I remember that he’d walk around the house in his underwear no matter who might be visiting! As I get a little older still, I remember lots of yelling. I didn’t always make the choices he wanted.
Now, I remember someone who keeps me grounded. My dad seems to have an innate sense for when things aren’t going well in my life. He’ll make an early-morning phone call or send an email with advice. He also seems to have a sense for when I’ve really screwed up and manages to use his Mr. Bob sense of humor to remind me what I need to fix.
Here are a few things I hope for my dad today:
- A Coke poured out of the can over ice, drank from a straw
- Enough wind for sailing
- Catalogues in the mail (for seeds and car parts)
- Burnt toast for breakfast eaten over the Sunday paper
- That vanilla cake in the angel food pan with the chocolate and Heath bar frosting that he loves
- Re-runs of Ali McBeal
- Some new handkerchiefs
- Strange pets (like goats or ducks)
- A nap in the hammock
- Three well-behaved children
2 comments:
Great post. Here are some things I wish for my dad today...
1. big breakfast with lots of hot coffee.
2. road trip in the convertible with my mom.
3. little projects to putz with (thanks for fixing my light last night).
4. old stories about fireworks, old cars, and memories about my grandpa.
5. telling a joke, badly, and still getting a laugh.
6. not having to always be the shoulder to cry on.
7. many many more days of happiness.
Awwwww. You've totally reminded me that I haven't seen your dad in ages!
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