Happy Father's Day (a little late)

Like many of the posts I've started recently, this one has been in the works for a while now and I just hadn't gotten it right. Father's day probably would have been the perfect time to post it, but my slacker self even let that day slip on by. Oh well, better late than never, right? Here comes the overly mushy (I'll try to keep it under control) and hopefully somewhat humorous tribute to my dad.

[insert scanned version of tattered old high school black and white headshot here]

One of the reasons this took me so long to write this, is that there really is so much I could say and I was unsure of where to focus my efforts. I could talk about how wise my dad is, or how much of a support he has been in throughout my life, or how much I admire his philosophy on life, but before I talk about any of that, I'd like tell one of my favorite stories about him (one of many, trust me) that simultaneously demonstrates several of the above. Note: I have told this story quite a bit so I apologize if you've already heard it.

Picture a Friday night at Waterford Kettering high school. The lights are brighting beaming onto the slightly worn field and the concrete stands. The Kettering Captains are suited up to play... well, some team thats likely to give them a good beating (sorry guys). The skies are dark, threatening rain. I am standing down on the track with the dance team and like any 'I'm-a-cool-kid' high schooler, nonchalantly glancing into the stands to see if my parents had arrived yet. I did not have to look too hard, for I soon spot them walking across the front of the student section to the family section. Upon seeing them, I sigh a very dramatic teenage girl sigh but soon after, I give in to the humor of the situation and burst out laughing. Then I poke one of my team members and say, "Just in case you were wondering where my parents are, my dad has done something to help you out. Yes, thats right, that is him wearing the bright yellow rain suit."

Dad, I hope you enjoyed that story for the millionth time, and I hope you are happy with your decision to wear that stunning piece of attire (I'm sure you are). I love that story because it actually could be considered symbolic. It really demonstrates both his support of me and the fact that he isn't very concerned with what people think, and isn't afraid to stand out in a crowd. Learning from his example has helped me strive to think in that same way.

That being said, if you are trying to stereotype him into some weird dad stereotype, I would probably advise you not to waste your brainpower. If there is anyone who probably would not fit any stereotype very well, it is my dad. He's pretty dang unique and although he might fit a few stereotyped features (physics intellectual, says-mildly-inappropriate things-to-your-friends, meditation man, weird eater), the amalgamation of these features would be quite hard to fit into some standardized mold.

So, its pretty clear that my dad is a character, and he has certainly taught me to do my own thing regardless of what I think others might be thinking, but that really is just the beginning. I want to take this opportunity to thank my dad for being an unwavering source of support. He has always been there to give me non-judgemental and level-headed advice and then watches as I make my own decisions. I like to think I have acquired some level of tolerance and understanding for others' actions from him.

I also think that more than anyone else, my dad has taught me to make the best of any situation. A great example of this is in yet another story, but this one is a little less funny. My dad went on a 10 day solo backpacking trip in California. On the 4th day of his trip, he slipped on an ice patch, fell and broke his rib, and collapsed one of his lungs. I'm pretty sure that if this happened to me, I would freak out and cry hysterically. Then I would probablyyell for help until my other lung collapsed. But my dad did none of these idiotic things. Amazingly, he picked himself up and hiked all the way back out. Four days later, he made it back to civilization and was taken to a hospital from where he called the family.

The first thing I thought about when I heard about his injury was how sad he must be that his trip was cut short and made significantly more painful. I mean, it was something he had been planning and looking forward to for months and he spent half of it walking around with a broken rib, one lung, and a gigantic backpack on. On the contrary, though, he seemed upbeat and optimistic and when I asked him if he was sad that his trip changed he said, "Not at all. It was a really cool experience."

At the time, and maybe at first glance, this comment seems kinda crazy. How could anyone call this experience cool? But as my dad so often says, and as I am finally realizing "Life's experiences are what we have. They are everything and nothing at the same time." More recently, in a time where several of my life events are slightly less than ideal, this philosophy becomes very useful and I have been able to learn to take some good out of fairly objectively bad events.

Although I always believed what my dad was saying before, I never truly understood them. More recently though, many of the lessons my dad was trying to teach me throughout my life are finally starting to sink in. You really shouldn't worry much about what others think because ultimately, it is your life to do with it what you wish. And life's experiences are all that we have, so making the best of every situation and seeing the positives will lead to greater happiness. And thats what life is about, right?

To end, I would like to wish my dad a great trip. He is going out west in a few weeks and will be visiting my very favorite place out west, the narrows in Zion National Park (see picture). My dad and I hiked up the narrows when our family visited in 2000 and it was one of the coolest hikes I've ever been on. The weather was perfect for half-walking/half-floating and playing around in the water and it stands out in my mind as one of my favorite times I've had with my dad. Although we wont be visiting together, we will both be going on our own adventures in the next few weeks so here is to making the most of whatever types of experiences we might encounter.