Father's Day

For a long time I hated Father's day because it reminded me too sharply of my loss.  He died unexpectedly a few years back.

Santa-daddy & me

Now, I'm reminded of how lucky I am to have had a dad.  He wasn't perfect.  He made a shitload of mistakes, said the wrong things, and made the wrong choices.

But, he was always there.  Not when I or others thought/believed he should be there but when I needed him and didn't know it.  he was always proud of my intelligence and creativity.  He laughed at my jokes and pranks.  

My brother's kindergartner graduation

I think for him, I, along with my brother, was everything he aspired to be but never achieved.  Smart, strong willed, proud, and compassionate.

I wish I'd been able to tell him that he was wrong to think that we got all our talents and from our mom.  He gave us his sense of humor, his perspective and view on life, and he gave us the belief that we could be more.