Inherited from You

We all think about our fathers on Father’s Day. Who can avoid the media bombardment? But I have a constant reminder of my Father, even though he’s been gone for 6 years, and that reminder is --myself. Yes, I’m so like my dad that the little things I do throughout the day is a constant reminder that the “Nut Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree”. I purposely use the word nut, for it accurately describes my dad! He was the funniest man I knew. His quick wit made me laugh, my friends and all that knew him. And even more importantly, his humor covered a multitude of sins, but that is a subject for another Blog.

Even the last day I saw him on this earth, humor did not escape him. As he lay there in the hospital bed, dying from Kidney Cancer, I called my oldest son, his favorite grandchild. My son talked to him on the phone knowing it might be his last conversation with his grandpa. After I hung up the phone for my dad, I apologized for my son that he wouldn’t be able to visit his grandpa. My dad said matter-of-factly, “Oh, that’s alright, I won’t remember it”. At his funeral on April 21, 2005, I wrote an account of the characteristics that we have in common and read it to honor him.

Inherited from you dad…

-When I find myself unable to pass a clearance rack and shop at a consignment store, …I’ll think about my dad

-When I reuse a paper towel…I’ll think about my dad