A Father’s Gifts Keep on Giving … Long after His Time on Earth is Done

I’ve written several blogs over the past few years in honor of my dad. It gives me great comfort to reflect on his life, his gifts to me and my sisters, and the greater meaning of it all.

Looking back, for this Father’s Day I’ve summarized some of my favorite thoughts and observations from the past five years. His lessons have more than stood the test of time throughout my 68 years on the planet, including:

Don't be a quitter

Don’t make the same mistake twice

You can do anything you put your mind to

Wrapping these gems up with his overarching principles of counting your blessings, believing in yourself, and living boldly, I’d say Daddy did a pretty darned good job of teaching us to take risks.

Lately I’ve been thinking much about “execution” and “vision” and how fortunate I’ve been to have good role models on both fronts. As I wrote in the dedication of my first book:

For my mother, Maryanne, who taught me how to get things done.
For my father, Bud, who encouraged me to reach for the stars.

Certainly, my dad was a huge fan of we three lucky daughters, and he encouraged us to do whatever it was we could think up. The confidence he nurtured in us - along with the emotional grit to bear the associated risks - still serves me well every day.

One other thing that Daddy taught us that I greatly treasure – perhaps more than anything else (but that is so difficult to say!) … is to have a sense of humor, especially when looking at yourself. Sometimes the cosmic tumblers have other things in mind than you might have expected – but that in and of itself can be pretty funny!

Daddy taught us to laugh big and laugh often, even at life’s darkest turns. My sisters and I still marvel at how he could always get us laughing - even in dire circumstances. He definitely left us with that core competency. Bravo, Daddy!

Like for my mom, there will be more blogs about my dad; I have plenty of stories to tell, and telling them helps me with my grieving, which will never be done. When I stop and give myself a moment of silence, the memories rush in and make me so very grateful for Daddy and all he did for me.

Happy Father’s Day to all dads – and thank you for all you do!