Story-A-Day #110: A Father

A FATHER

A father has many jobs, and most of them are bigger and more important than the one they go to every day so that there is food on the table and clothes on the back.

A father is a moral compass, who from your earliest days provides with the guidance you need to seek out your path in life, and the ability to distinguish between what is right and wrong.

A father teaches you strength so that you know how to stand up for your beliefs and interests. He also teaches you how to defend yourself, and how to walk away from those altercations that aren’t worth fighting.

A father teaches you how to be brave. He shows you that the best way to face off against the monster in the closet is simply to face it. He shows you that stepping outside of your comfort zone is often the best way to grow, and doing so thoughtfully is the best way to ensure that you are able to keep growing.

A father instills certain virtues within you; a thrill for the written word, an appreciation for game night, a passion for knowledge.

A father shows you how to love, and to do so unerringly. He reminds you every day that the choices you make affect those around you and not just yourself. He shows, by his own example, that you are part of a bigger whole. You are a friend, a son, a daughter, a coworker.

A father gives you dignity, respect and optimism; but also the ability to acknowledge that only hard work will get you where you want to go. He teaches you ethics and encourages you to constantly become a better person.

Sometimes a father lives his life through you, and that is okay. You are a part of him and he has given you everything you have to this point.

A father is all these things and more, but not all fathers are created equal. I am lucky that the father I have is all of this and more.

He is a teacher, a builder, and a leader. He remains steadfast in his beliefs, and in his support for those around him. His lessons might have taken time to sink in, but they are in there, deeply rooted in the person I have become. Maybe his lessons were better that way, not always easy, but quick to take root, and impossible to shake.

My father is a reflection of who I am, and a projection of who I hope to eventually become. I couldn’t have asked for more.

Happy Birthday Dad…