On Father’s Day

This is the last year that I will be celebrating this day only as a son, rather than as both father and son. So it’s appropriate that I focus today on what my dad has taught me about being a father.

Growing up, we never had a whole lot of money. At times we had it downright tough. But through it all, I always knew that I was loved. My dad had grown up without such a great relationship with his own father and, at 16 years old, he ran away from home. My dad was in his 40s before he ever heard his father tell him he loved him and my dad vowed that that just wouldn’t be the case for my brother and me. He told us he loved us every day, no matter what had happened that day, no matter how frustrated he was, or what trouble we’d gotten into.

My dad also taught me what it means to sacrifice for your children. As I said, my family had some tough times when I was a kid. A series of really unfortunate events led us to a pretty bad financial condition and looking back now I think often about how hard my dad fought just to do the basic things like put food on the table. I always had enough to eat, but I know now from the sizes of the portions that I know were made, my dad was probably eating much less than he’d have liked.

And my dad taught me to believe in myself. Despite the fact that we didn’t have too much materially, he taught me to dream big and to believe that I could accomplish whatever I set my mind and heart to. He used to joke “You can be anything you want to be when you grow up, as long as it’s a doctor or a lawyer.” This cool confidence that I could get a great education and be a “big shot” is everything I needed. The steady love of my father, his readiness to make a personal sacrifice, and his belief in me are the reasons why I am where I am today. On this last Father’s Day as just a son, I’m hoping that I can be half the father my dad was.