I’ve always been a bit of a daddy’s girl. As a little girl, I chose repeatedly to attend the “cow sales” (livestock auctions) with Dad over shopping with Mom. Maybe it was because I felt so special being the only little girl in the midst of all those men, but whatever the reason, I loved spending time with my dad. I loved the way he took care of me and, although my memory may be somewhat skewed by age and time, the way he seemed to take pride in my being there.
I grew up wanting to be around Dad constantly. As a farmer, I saw my dad work ceaselessly as I “helped” from the sidelines (I can hand tools to a hard-working guy with the best of them). But I think what I was learning from all that observation was innovation, creativity, and the benefits of hard work. Dad could make anything work again. If he didn’t have the right tool he’d improvise. And in the end, his hard work paid off.
When the Lord cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, He told them they’d have to work for everything from that point on. I saw and experienced what that was like as my Dad taught us to work. From feeding cows, moving sprinkler pipe, operating tractors, and picking rock, I learned to appreciate how hard my Dad worked. My own aptitude for farming is very low (which Dad lovingly pointed out to me) so I didn’t do this type of work all that often, but I did gain an understanding of the responsibility Dad willingly took on for his family.
When Dad came home from work each night, he’d watch television after dinner and I always wanted to curl up next to him. It wasn’t about the TV for me; it was about being next to the man I admired so much.
Throughout my youth and teenage years, I always knew that my Dad was proud of me. He didn’t say much, and didn’t often voice what he was thinking, but I knew. So it cut me to the core the three times I’ve ever heard him say he was disappointed in me. That’s all he had to say, and I knew I’d never make that decision again.
I so love my dad, and am honored to be his daughter. I continue to learn many more lessons from him as I grow and as time changes us. Happy Father’s Day to all of you dads out there!
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