My Dad

I admire and adore my father.
He carried himself with an aura of strength, that made me feel like he could fix any troubles that came our way.

As a kid, I knew my dad was, quite possibly, the toughest dad on the block.

As an adult, my dad was the person I confided in when making the big decisions in my life. I knew he would never be wrong, and his approval meant the world to me.

He taught me how to be a parent.
He taught me how to be independent, possess strong work ethic, and the value of completing a job with your own two hands.

He taught me about music and molded my musical interests which are a part of me forever. Even from a little kid, I was more interested in dads CD collection than anything else. He was so cool. He still is.

My appreciation for Pink Floyd, The Hip, Clapton, Tom Petty, and Supertramp that I have retained my entire life has been because of that bond that he shared with me. There is nothing I loved more than dads goofy grin and thumbs up as he inevitably blasted classic rock through his stereo.

One of my proudest moments, was when I presented my dad with tickets to see The Hip together. It was such a high point, that we did it again and saw Supertramp a few years later. I will never forget that love of music that he instilled in me; and the many nights we spent together sipping on a night-cap and listening to hours of music.

He taught me many more valuable lessons from riding a bike to how to enjoy the best of food, wine, and beer.

I love my dad.

He was never hesitant in displaying his affection, always reaching his hand out to hold mine. He was never shy to hug and gave a pretty hearty one. I know each one of you were the recipient of these embraces, remember the warmth of his love.

I will hold dear that he was strong enough to let himself be vulnerable with me, sharing his griefs, and never holding back from letting his emotions be known.

Dad was a compilation of exciting life experiences that he shared through incredible stories and I am grateful that he lived such a rich life with all of us.

I have the most amazing dad in the world. And he left us far too soon.

We can shed tears that he is gone; or we can smile because he has lived.

We can close our eyes and pray that he'll come back; or we can open our eyes and see all hes left, and all he loved.

Our hearts can be empty because we cant see him; or they can be full of the love we shared.

We can turn our backs on tomorrow and live yesterday; or we can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

We can remember him and only that he is gone; or we can cherish his memory and let it live on.

We can cry and close our minds, be empty and turn our backs; or we can do what he'd want: smile, open our eyes, love and go on with a thumbs up!