Not in any particular order…
1. If you make a commitment, then keep it. I wanted to work at the strawberry patch, and very quickly wanted to quit, but since I had agreed to do the job, I had to finish it out.
2. There is nothing more vile in all of God's creation than rap music.
3. It doesn't really matter whether or not you're the best, but it's important that you put in the best effort in doing it.
4. "Did I ever tell you the story about this gym bag?"
5. Dad was as enthusiastic about my music endeavors as sport endeavors. It probably wasn't his forte, but you would never know it by his enthusiasm for my participation in music. He always made faces at me during the concerts.
6. Summers were the best because Dad cooked a lot. I just remember coming home from family hour starving and anxiously awaiting the burgers to come off the grill.
7. My memory of mowing was how quickly I was relieved of duty when Dad came home from work. Mom would ask us to start the mowing so Dad wouldn't have to do it all. I can still see it in my mind: Dad coming across the alley from work, walking over and setting his lunch box on the deck, and then taking over behind one of the mowers. He couldn't bear watching us mow the lawn as a bystander.
8. Considering how many times that Dad got in the old pickup to find it with only fumes in the gas tank, I'm amazed that he ever let us drive it. But oddly enough, I don't have much recollection of him getting on us about it.
9. Dad is incredibly loyal. Loyal to his family, loyal to his friends, loyal to his employer, etc. I'm not sure I've ever met a more loyal or reliable person than he is.
10. Dad was never mad for very long. When something upsets him, he thinks on it, works it out in his head, and then he's okay. He never held a grudge against us. If we needed to be punished, it happened and then it was done and over with. I don't know if I've ever even told him this, but when we called Mom and Dad from Spain to tell them that we were engaged, Dad basically said that he wouldn't come to the wedding and hung up the phone because he wasn't happy. Jennifer was devastated. But when the phone call was over, I said to Jennifer, "Don't worry about it. He'll think it over for a few days at work and then he'll be fine." Sure enough, about a week later they were making plans to come to the wedding.
Ultimately, Dad only ever had our best interest in mind. Whether it was the way we spent our money, the way we dressed, the people we hung out with… he only ever cared about it because he wanted us to be the best human beings that we could be. In his mind, he probably pushed us in school because he didn't want us to be like him, but for me, every day I hope that I can be even half the man that our Dad is! Love you Dad… Happy Father's Day!
Great list Marc. Only one question, what's the gym bag thing? Don't know that I've ever heard that one.
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