My dad is not my biological father but he is the only father I have ever known. He is also the only one worthy to be called, dad, daddy, father, etc. He is the only one that my children will call grandpa or grandfather. I have a biological father and for my mere existence is why I am grateful to him. But, that is all he has ever given me is life. I have met him and he is a kind and loving man and was so generous to me and my family. I have an appreciation for him. But, I do not know him. He and my mother met when they were young and he had left her when she was still pregnant with me. There is a long story after but I have contact with my half sister, and truly we are sisters. WE can go without talking but instantly feel like we are best of friends when we do connect with each other. She has a huge and giving heart. I can truly say, that I do love her.
I called my dad yesterday and wished him Happy Father's day. Everyone had gone to the house and celebrated together. It is times and holidays like these that I wished we lived closer. I miss being the only one out. My siblings all live near my parents. I miss that my children do not have my parents close by. My parents are great grandparents.
I honor my father this weekend. He has always shown kindness, and fairness and serves with all of his heart. His work ethics are my work ethics. He has a strong sense of duty and responsibility and obligation. His word is solid. He would die before he ever broke his word. He would make sure that someone would fulfill his obligation if he could not. He is a good man and a man of honor. He is my dad. While growing up in our small town, everyone knew everyone. He grew up there and went to school there and I and my siblings went through the very schools he and his siblings went through. I never fully appreciated the security and comfort that living in a small town lends until I married and only have lived in large cities. There are pros and cons to both. But, my heart yearns to rear my family in the comforts of a small town. I never wavered far from the path because I always wanted to make my dad proud. I tried to keep good grades and excel because I wanted to uphold the family name. I used to be so frustrated in my youth, with my dad. He was always taking in every stray person off the street and down on their luck and giving them a job, or a car. Never asking anything in return but a hard days work, and many of them taking and not giving a days work in return. Did it tarnish him? Not at all. In fact, I think it made him continue to search harder for that one person who would not betray his trust. To this day, I do not know if he has found that person.
I remember him giving a car to a person down on his luck only to come home from a week on the road, and find that very car abandoned and in a ditch. What did he do? He just went and got his pick up and towed the car home and bought the parts, and labored on the car to get it running again. I would have been livid! He did call the person and ask, "What happened?" Never to he lead on to the person that he knew they were lying or it was not the way to treat a vehicle someone lent to them, but he replied, "It is fixed and working again, you can come by and pick it up"!! This would infuriate me as a teenager. To watch people take advantage of my dad and he be happy for it. But, I do know he keeps taking people in off the street. They tend to find him and are gravitated to him. I jokingly tell him he is like the Statue of Liberty. Where it reads ::
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"Yes, my dad lifts his lamp. Yes, he is a beacon to all. Yes, he will give his shirt to you, and he doesn't need to know you. I respect and honor this giving heart. I am like him to an extent, but I have a HARDER edge to me. I know it is because of his giving heart that the Lord blesses him and his company. I am blessed because I know him and everyone who comes in contact with him is blessed. I love him and I wish him many prosperous and happy years.
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