The Shallow End

Happy Father's Day!

Dear Dad,


Last year, on Father's Day, we were a little busy. For me, it was a reminder of how important is a Father's role. Unlike Julian's father, you have ALWAYS been there for me. Even when you and Mom got divorced, I always felt like the most important thing for you was maintaining your relationship with me and my brother, as our father. You made sure to spend time with us and celebrated milestones with us, but most importantly, you enjoyed being a Dad. You played with us!


Remember going fishing and teaching us how to put worms (and live frogs!!) onto hooks and how to scope out the best fishing holes? And years later, how to cast a fly rod? Remember the grocery store you built for us, and stocked full of food so we could sell it to you?! Remember teaching us how to play basketball? And football (I was the only girl in 5th grade that the boys would let play ;-)? And baseball (I nearly killed the neighbor boy with a hard whack to the head with that powerful swing you taught us)? Remember building us a go-kart that we ripped through the neighborhood in...boy, did we become popular then; suddenly everyone wanted to be our friend! Remember helping us bind our school projects in your special book binder so ours would be professional...you taught us to take pride in our work and to always do our best. Remember when you were in Hawaii on business and you sent us care packages full of seashells? We treasured those packages so much!! Remember building me that drafting table when I was in college so I'd have a place to work? And years later, the jewelry bench (I still plan to put that to better use now that I'm "retired")? Remember quiet evenings at home, sitting in the beanbag, eating popcorn and watching Charlie Chan? Heh. :-)


You taught us many valuable lessons. You set a good example of how to live a productive life and you expected the same from us. You encouraged us to always try new things. You let us make mistakes and you were there to help us pick up the pieces without question. Remember when I wrecked two of your cars when I was just learning to drive (once was really NOT my fault, I swear! :-) and you just took care of the mess and still let me drive?! You taught us to invest in our future and set our sights high. You always believed in us and told us that we could do anything we wanted to do. You helped me through college, and continued to encourage me, even when I was ready to give up. Because I knew that you knew I could do it, I believed in myself.


More than anything, you have always shown your unconditional love for me, and you have always shown your love of life and adventure.


I love you very much, Dad! Happy Father's Day. :-)


Love,
Gwynne

Remember the chicken coop on the dinner table?

Labels: Family

posted by Gwynne @ 9:09 AM