I am often asked, “Do you have any kids?” My immediate response is, “Not that I know of.” For whatever reason, it was decided by the powers that be that I was not to have any offspring. I don't question that decision any longer. Long ago, I figured it was one of those “infinite wisdom” things and made my peace with the fact that it was probably for the best. I don't know how I would have handled the “grandparents' curse.” You know, the “I hope you have children who are just like you” thing. I don't know that I would have been as successful as my dad was with a son like me.
I never realized just how good a job my dad did until I was older. Looking back at my life, I was certainly a challenge, to say the least. I wasn't a bad kid, just the kind of kid who was hard to figure out. Sometimes I think I'm still kind of a hard kid to figure out. I do remember that even though my dad must have had more than his fair share of difficulty trying to figure me out, I always felt and always knew he loved me just the same. I know that was the driving force behind everything he did with and for me. Because of that love, he gave me the guidance I needed, even though I may not have always followed that guidance, or at least not immediately. When I chose not to follow that guidance, he allowed me to make some mistakes. When those times would arise, he would always smile that “dad smile” that I still miss to this day, and he would ask, “Well, did you learn anything?”
Looking back at the example he left, perhaps I would not have been that bad as a dad after all. Even with a kid like me. Happy Father's Day, dad.