My Dad just turned 80 years old this year and our church, Saints Constantine and Helen, just honored him for all his years of service and being a teacher for young adults. The church is celebrating its 100 year anniversary this year and they had special icons made and they presented my Father with the first one. I grew up going to church with my Dad every Sunday all through High School. I was an alter boy, which I know he was proud to watch and I attended many of his classes during my High School years. I was very proud of him for doing that. Not many people try to keep kids involved in church after they graduate Junior High but he did and he did it well. Not only that, the kids loved him. I heard it weekly. He gave many kids an opportunity to talk about things they couldn't at home with their own parents. My peers would tell me all the time they loved him and that he was cool. My Dad didn't judge. He listened. He gave advice. He cared. I think that's where I get it.
My Dad told me he went to Columbia College for a semester but had to quit to take care of family. I graduated with a Bachelors Degree from Columbia. I did it for my Dad because to him "Knowledge is Power", as he always told me, and even though I don't use that degree I'm still proud to have it and I know my graduation day was one of his proudest moments.
My Dad is a funny guy. He loves to make people laugh and you could always count on him for a joke or one liner (usually a one liner). But if there is on word I could use to describe him, to me, it's Dependable. He was always there for me when I needed him or not. Whether it was for a one hour phone call, twenty bucks or something big. He always always had my back. He said what He did and He did what He said. Like most kids, growing up, I thought he was the smartest man in the world. He always had the answers. Now I think it's safe to say all boys are like their fathers in one way or another, like it or not and nothing surprised me more than after trying to pay attention to the ways I knew I was like him that other characteristics would pop up and I would think "I'm my Father". I didn't see that coming. But absolutely nothing scared the crap out of me until the day I said "OMG I'm my Mother". Just kidding.
My Dad taught me many things over the years. Some things he told me and some things you just learn through experience like Honesty, Integrity, Dependability and, of course the ability to throw out the occasional one liner. Even though he didn't get to accomplish some of the things he wanted to in life I'm still proud of him.
