Then and Now

Then, when I was little, he was my protector, my question-answerer, my advice-giver, my sometimes disciplinarian, and always the object of my admiration, love, and respect. He was my partner on adventurous walks through the woods behind our house and on explorations of new homes being built in the neighborhood. He took me to see Halley's Comet through a big telescope the spring that I was 12. He was the Tooth Fairy. (Shhhhhh . . .I'm not sure he knows I know that.) He helped me with my homework . . .especially math. He taught me how to play backgammon. He tried to teach me to drive a stick shift car. It wasn't his fault that it never made sense to me.

He taught me about love and respect and honesty. He showed me how to live in such a way that you can go to sleep every night knowing that you've given the best of yourself each day. Or that if you haven't, you'll wake up the next day and try again. He taught me how to be confident, and he showed me the importance of leading by example.

I never could have imagined that I'd love him more than I did as a kid, but if it's possible, as an adult, I do. He's my friend, the one I love to call on the phone, whether it's to talk about world events or to discuss plans for the upcoming weekend. He's the guy I like to go on hikes with and enjoy a bottle of wine with. He sometimes makes me laugh so hard that I cry. Then, as now, he is the constant object of my admiration, love, and respect.

He has always supported me in all endeavors that are important to me. He sat in the front row at my first violin concert. He cheered me on when I decided I wanted to jump off of the high diving board at the pool in my hometown. He encouraged me all the way through grad school, even during the times--especially during the times--when I thought I was crazy to enroll in a Masters program while working full time.

Today, he gave a donation to the 3-Day, and thanks to his generosity, Mom and I are now 79% of the way toward our goal, having raised $4722.66.

But that's not the best part. The best part is that then, as now, this guy I've just written about is my Dad. Few things in life are certain, but I know, without a doubt, that I'm the luckiest person in the world to be his daughter.