Fathers are Special

With Father’s Day coming, my thoughts have turned to my own father, who was a strong father figure to me.  I looked to him for leadership and guidance in my life.  He worked hard even when he wasn’t feeling well.  (For many years, Dad suffered from malaria which he picked up while serving during World War II.)  Dad was observant and sensitive.  He loved people and put their needs before his own.  He taught his children to show respect for others, especially our own mother.  He taught me that joking about others was hurtful, because there was always a little truth in the joke to make it funny.  I have many good memories of him.

Dad loved art.  His father and oldest brother were artists who painted with oil.  Another brother was a sculptor.  When I was in elementary school, dad took up woodworking – carving, inlay and overlay.  He was very good at it.  Later in his life, Dad also started oil painting.

Always willing to share his talents, Dad came to my elementary school several times to share his love of woodwork.  The whole class made simple wood overlay pictures (at Dad’s expense) that they could take home.  I still have mine.

In his front shirt pocket, Dad carried a checkbook, paper and pen.  As a grandpa, whenever the grandkids came over, he would hold them on his lap and they would take everything out of his pocket and draw on it.  This gave him great pleasure!  He loved his grandchildren and would play with them for hours.  If he could, I’m sure he would make the rounds to visit his great grandchildren and play with them.

One time while playing with my children, Dad made up a song about Mr. Potato Head:  “I’m Mr. Potato Head.  My life is full of dread.  My ears are on backwards, my nose upside down.  In place of a smile, I’m wearing a frown.  I’m Mr. Potato Head.”

Dad was creative and his heart was full of love!

This leads me to another man in my life, whose heart is as big as the great outdoors...my husband and father of our beautiful children.  His concern is almost always to help others be happy.

From Van, I have learned about perseverance, making the best of current circumstances, learning to relax in stressful situations, and overcoming challenges.  Our life together has not been easy, but Van always keeps pushing along in spite of the weight he carries (and sometimes the load is pretty heavy).  My heart is full of gratitude for all he endures.

Fathers are So Special!

Remembering Mom

May 30th – traditional Memorial Day – was my mother’s birthday.  Most of her life, she shared her birthday with family, celebrating and making visits to cemeteries to remember those who had passed on from this life.

Today, I remember her and miss her.  She would have been 89 years old. 

I loved my mom!  What a great example she was of kindness, selfless love, and service.  She had a heart of gold, and spent her life trying to help others be happy.  I remember my dad describing her as “near perfect.”

Mother was a strong woman, and very capable.  She did suffer at times with low self-esteem, and often worried that she wasn’t good enough.  She worked hard, raised 6 children, and volunteered at church, not to mention that she was often checking in with her mother and siblings to make sure they were all doing well.

Since I was younger than her other children by almost 5 years, I spent a lot of one-on-one time with Mom.  Granted, we were often attending meetings, visiting relatives, working side by side.  I was her tag-along, and usually spent time observing or playing quietly so as not to disturb other important matters.  I learned a lot from Mom, especially by her example.  Those memories are very special to me now. 

Mom taught her children to recognize right from wrong and to do what is right.  She taught us to be observant, helpful, polite, good, and most importantly to be kind.  She would often sing songs to help teach her lessons: “Let’s Be Kind to One Another,” “Let us Oft Speak Kind Words to Each Other,” and “Kindness Begins with Me.”  Our mother was slow to offend, quick to love and forgive.  Oh, how the world could learn from her simple lessons!