When I consider all the things my father taught me – to chase impossible dreams, to build things from scratch, to cherish creativity and to work hard for what you believe in – is it any wonder that the hero of my first book is a father?
When I consider all the ways my father loved me – as a child, a student, an apprentice and protégé, as a son and as a friend, in times of joy and times of sorrow, in times when I was lovable and the times when I most definitely was not – is it any wonder that I see the love of Our Father in my father?
When I consider all the values my father demonstrated – how he loves his family more than life, how he places the needs of others above his own, how he cares for his wife with selfless affection and holds those dear to him close, but never holds them back – is it any wonder that I feel I still have so much to learn from him?
No. No, it’s no wonder at all.
I am blessed with something too few people have – a father who’s never stopped trying, never stopped loving, and never stopped being the person I remember from my childhood. A father who’s not just an authority, but an example. A father I look up to not just as a parent, but as a person. There have been hard times and good times and times so terrible I felt sure it was the end – and yet he’s always there. Still who he was. Still who he is.
Here’s to my father – I may not say it enough, but I wouldn’t be the person I am today without your guidance. Thank you for everything you are, everything you do, and everything you’ve raised me to be. You have always been the clearest model for the mentors, allies, and heroes that I write – the best example of humble wisdom, quiet strength, and unfailing integrity that I have ever known.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad!
Homestead on the Corner 