Father (Really) Knows Best

In honor of Father’s Day, I’m writing a few things I’ve learned from my Dad. My Dad, aside from being just a great guy, is probably one of the most interesting people you’d meet. He’s been a pilot most of his life, first in the military and then for the airlines, and he has all sorts of fun and entertaining stories to prove it. Most start with start with “Once when I was in Kinshasa…” or “I landed at [fill in the name of a place you’ve only barely heard of and would have to look it up on a map to precisely locate].” [Side note: Kinshasa is in the Congo. I had to check to make sure. Consider that your geography lesson for the day.] He’s got a great sense of humor, and I hardly ever see him in a bad mood. He’s content to work around the house or in the yard, always humming a song or whistling to himself. At parties, you’d hear his solid laughter accompanying any joke or story he tells or hears. These are the top few things I’ve learned from him... 1) Wave hello at your neighbors. When we first moved to the South, we were driving around our new neighborhood when my Dad offered a friendly wave to another driver. (The wave is distinct with one palm raised and a slight nod of the head.) “Who’s that?” I asked. “I don’t know, I was just being friendly,” he replied. So I’ve started waving at my neighbors, too, even if I don’t know them. Most are very happy to smile and return the wave. 2) Life is more fun on the dance floor than on the sidelines. I’ve never known my Dad to turn down a chance to dance. Some of my favorite memories – and pictures – are of us laughing and dancing away. 3) Laughter is a great part of life. My Dad is always laughing and joking. We seem to laugh at whatever situation we’re in, like if all our hot dogs fall off the boat into the water or if something slightly comical happens at church. (My mom isn’t as pleased when we’d laugh during church, and she’d shoot us the serious “you-better-stop-laughing-because-we’re-in-church” look.) We laugh during Seinfeld, we laugh at the goofy things he tells telemarketers, and we laugh at the funny nicknames he gives our friends and neighbors. 4) Think positively. Even when bad things happened to my Dad, he’d pick himself up and continue on with a positive attitude. He’d work hard, always with optimism, knowing that everything would turn out ok. And he was right. For the record, there are many other things he’s taught me, like “contribute to an IRA” or “use 5W30 for the oil in your car,” but for space limitations, I’m not listing all of those. I know it’s trendy in our society to blame your parents for everything in your current life, so let me to join in: Dad, I blame you for giving me a great sense of humor. I blame you for giving me a positive outlook on life. And, I blame you for teaching me to enjoy every second of it. Thanks! :)