Foreword:
Growingup,Ihadaverycloserelationshipwithmydad.Wedideverythingtogether,fromgoingonbikeridestowatchingmoviestocookingmeals.Hewasalwaysthereforme,throughgoodtimesandbad.AsIlookbackonthosedays,IrealizehowmuchheshapedthepersonIamtoday.Thisisthestoryofourjourneytogether.
1.ItallstartedwhenIwasjustalittlekid.Mydadwouldtakemeonlongwalksaroundtheneighborhood,pointingoutdifferentplantsandanimalsandtellingmetheirnames.
2.Hewouldalwaysencouragemetoaskquestions,evenifhedidn'tknowtheanswerhimself."That'showwelearn,"hewouldsay.
3.AsIgotolder,ourwalksbecamelongerandmoreadventurous.Wewouldhikethroughthewoodsorexplorenewneighborhoodswehadneverbeentobefore.
4.Onesummer,weevenwentonaroadtriptogether.WedroveallthewaytotheGrandCanyon,campingalongthewayandexperiencingthebeautyofnaturetogether.
5.Butitwasn'tjustabouttheadventureswewentontogether.Itwasalsoabouttheeverydaymoments.
6.Mydadwouldcomehomefromworkandwewouldcookdinnertogether,laughingandjokingaswechoppedvegetablesandstirredpots.
7.Wewouldwatchmoviestogether,cuddleduponthecouchwithabowlofpopcornbetweenus.
8.AndwhenIwasgoingthroughatoughtimeatschoolorwithfriends,mydadwasalwaystheretolistenandofferadvice.
9.Hewasmyrock,myconfidant,mybestfriend.
10.AsIgotolderandwentofftocollege,ourrelationshipshiftedabit.Wedidn'tseeeachotherasoften,butwestilltalkedonthephoneeveryweekandtextedeachotherfunnypicturesorjokes.
11.AndwheneverIcamehomeforavisit,wewouldpickuprightwhereweleftoff.Itwaslikenotimehadpassedatall.
12.Onesummer,whenIwashomefromcollege,mydadandIdecidedtotackleabigprojecttogether:buildingashedinourbackyard.
13.Itwashardwork,butitwasalsooneofthemostrewardingexperiencesofmylife.Wespenthoursmeasuringandcuttingwood,hammeringnails,andpaintingthefinalproduct.
14.Andwhenitwasalldone,westoodbackandadmiredourhandiworktogether,proudofwhatwehadaccomplished.
15.Throughalloftheseexperiences,mydadtaughtmesomuchaboutlifeandaboutmyself.
16.Hetaughtmethevalueofhardworkandperseverance,andhowtofindjoyinthelittlethings.
17.Hetaughtmetobekindandempathetictoothers,andtoneverstoplearning.
18.Andmostofall,hetaughtmeaboutthepowerofloveandfamily.
19.Mydadmaynotbeperfect,butheistheperfectdadforme.Iamsogratefulforallofthememorieswehavemadetogetherovertheyears.
20.AsIwritethisnow,Irealizethatourjourneyisfarfromover.Therewillbemoreadventurestocome,morelaughstoshare,morelessonstolearn.
21.Butonethingiscertain:nomatterwherelifetakesus,mydadwillalwaysbebymyside,walkingwithmeeverystepoftheway.
22.Andforthat,Iameternallygrateful.Thankyou,Dad,forbeingthebestfatherapersoncouldaskfor.