Happy Father's Day

My Dad is, of course, on my mind today. Though he passed away 32 years ago (at the age of 51), I do still think of him almost every day. Happy Father's Day, Daddy. When my kids were living at home, I always thought of my Dad and how much he would have loved and enjoyed his grandchildren. He was such a special man, he would have added a whole different dimension to their lives. He was a gentle, quiet man, who talked little, but was worth listening to when he spoke. He had a way of letting you know how much he loved you, just with a look or a pat on the back. He commanded respect, and deserved it. And he was so willing to share what he knew -- and he knew SO much about SO many things! My Dad was a paratrooper in World War II. He was at Normandy on D-Day. He was in Bastogne. If you've watched Band of Brothers, he was in the midst of what you saw. He never talked about it. His legs were full of tiny scars -- shrapnel wounds from being shot at as he parachuted. He must have seen some horrible sites and endured some frightening times, but we never heard the stories and he certainly never bragged about it. Now that I'm older, I realize how proud my Dad was of his situation in life in his later years. We had rough times when I was young, and my parents divorced in a time when few people did. But in the last 10 years of his life, my Dad found happiness -- in a marriage to a good, kind, loving woman, in being a new Dad, in adopting three kids, in his career choice, and in his stand in the community. He was the hardest worker I've ever met, and the most avid reader I've ever met. An uneducated man, he was also the smartest man I've ever met. I truly believe the last 10 years were the highlight of his life for him, and he deserved that good life. I can see now that those years gave him a lot of joy. I'm thankful to my Dad for a lot of attributes he passed on to me. My Yankee frugalness; my love of reading; my interest in homeopathic remedies; my desire to make our house a warm, loving home; my enthusiasm for gardening; my love of tent camping; and more. Every day I miss him. Every day I wish he could see me now, could meet my kids and be as proud of them as I am, and meet his first great-grandchild (who reminds me so much of him). I know he'd be proud of the life I lead, and that makes me feel good. Happy Father's Day, Daddy.