10 Great Things about My Dad
1. He Was An Intellectual
His own father didn't let him pursue education beyond the 8th grade (considering it to be 'bourgeois'), but he was always intellectually curious and liked to discuss deeper themes and ideas.
2. He Was Respected In His Profession
I was glad to see his funeral so well attended and certainly, there were plenty of friends, but I was surprised how many former clients, colleagues and even competitors (he was a Real Estate Broker) showed up and spoke highly of how he treated them with courtesy, respect and excellent service.
3. He Showed Interest In My Nerdiness
He couldn't really get on board with science fiction, fantasy, role-playing games or even some of my music, but he made sure to take the time to listen to me when I started explaining why *I* like them.
4. He Made Sure I Didn't Get Too Nerdy
He always made sure I got outside and got exercise when I could easily have locked myself in the basement watching TV or reading comics or something.
5. He Was a Great Husband
He's been gone for 22 years, and my mom still misses him.
6. He Was Brave
Facing terminal cancer has to be terrifying, and though anyone going through that has every right to be terrified, it probably made it easier on me to deal with the idea of losing him to not see him act that way.
7. He Was A Great Athlete
He probably could have gone to Olympic-level rowing, and he played tennis, cross-country skied and cycled quite avidly.
8. He Was A Good Teacher
He taught me a lot in the above-mentioned sports, not to mention how to work a little with my hands, how to drive, etc.
9. He Was Handy
He did a lot of repair work around our house, and built a tree house for us kids, amongst various other carpentry projects.
10. He Knew How To Keep His Cool
As a father, he rarely lost his temper and yelled. I honestly don't know how he did it, and wish that rubbed off on me.
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