Tomorrow is my dad's 85th birthday. My dad is the kind of dad that makes all those birthday card verses true. I can't imagine having a more loving, kind and great man for a dad. My dad was the kind of dad that got in the kiddie pool with us and let us pour water on his head. He took us on vacations all over the country and, even after spending many hours in the car with three kids, he'd go miles out of his way to find a motel with a pool and a diving board. All my friends loved my dad. He makes everyone laugh. He finds humor in almost everything. We'd play practical jokes on him all the time because we knew he' d laugh and never get mad. (Like when we wrapped 68 golf tees individually for his birthday - hey, we were kids.) I could write the longest blog post in history about what a wonderful man he is and has always been, but you get the picture.
The school building I work in is one that my father went to as a child. The first day I walked into the building 14 years ago I saw an old photo on the wall of the office. I pointed and said - that's my dad! It was a photo of him sitting in the front row of his class. The secretary at the time said - oh, that's nice - and who are you? Anyway, the photo is still there. Dad is in the right front seat. Roxboro Elementary School is now 88 years old. Sometimes I'm walking down the halls of Roxboro and I try to imagine him walking the same halls all those years ago.
Happy Birthday, Dad. You're always with me.
6 comments:
Hi Diane,
Thanks so much for reading and posting a comment on my blog.
Your question is really thought-provoking. Sometimes I do think that poetry, or writing itself, saves me. Others I am too enmired in life to write. I do know that the poems and prose I've written about parenting Stella have provoked very strong responses, which tells me I'm on the right track!
Happy Birthday to your dad!
It's so nice to hear you say such nice things about your dad. I had a special dad like that too. Mine died in 1999 and I miss him lots.
What great memories, Diane. You described how my hubby is. As parents, we're both "rewriting" how moms and dads are supposed be.
Happy birthday to your dad.
What a lovely story, my Dad's birthday is today! Another wonderful guy!
Diane! YES, your dad is the kind that makes all those birthday card verses true. As a child and his neice I never felt any less loved than as if I was his own. As a grown woman married to Bob, we speak quite often about how special he always makes us feel. We would love to say that we are his favorites because he makes us feel like we are, but we know that it is just his style to make everyone feel like the are the most important person in the world. And, when each of us spends time with Uncle Don, we ARE the most important person in the world for those moments at least! I LOVE YOU UNCLE DON AND WISH YOU THE HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS!!! I look forward to celebrating your 90th with you and your family as you did with my Dad! Again, LOVE YOU BUNCHES!!!!! Gail
You are very lucky to have a great dad, he sounds like a marvelous respectable man with a bit of character tucked in his shirt sleeve!! :0) heehee.
May he have a wonderful birthday!!
What a wonderful blessing to celebrate such wisdom of years!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth
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