Summer Daze

This time of year is always kind of strange for me.

Things at work slow down to a snail's pace. I spend a lot of time mowing lawns. I sweat a lot, due to my truck's a/c not working. And I think about my dad.

For those of you keeping score, this June 24th will mark six years since Dad died. It seems like not that long ago at all, yet when I look at how much I've changed since then, it seems like an eternity.

But really, it's just six years.

And I miss him. Of course I miss him. And while I would give anything for just another day with him, I'm thankful for the experiences I've had (some unpleasant and involuntary) that may not have happened, had he still been here.

My Uncle Bob and I (Dad's youngest brother) never would have built that pair of awesome Adirondack chairs on my patio. I probably wouldn't own a house. I most likely wouldn't have moved away from Pacific. I wouldn't have taught myself to do things like replace a light fixture or a thermostat. There's a good chance I may not have even applied for the job that eventually became the one I have today.

I definitely never would have adopted Sasha, now my mother's best friend. And I wouldn't have had two wonderful years with Doc - nor would I have shed so many tears over him when I had to put him down.

Through experiencing my father's sickness and death, I was forced to finally grow up and admit that I'm an adult now.

And I'm a better person for it.

I may have mentioned this before, but Dad wasn't an overly sentimental person. Nor did he spout off fatherly advice as a culmination to whatever problem I was having that week. That's the stuff of sitcoms. Nobody's dad does that.

Dad did once tell me something that has stuck with me, though.

During a particularly rough patch right after I graduated from college, he told me that life is a road, and there are going to be potholes in that road, but you have to just keep driving, because if you don't, you won't get anywhere.

It was a rare nugget of brilliance, shared with me over greasy burgers on a Tuesday night at Steak 'n Shake.

And he was right. Things have gotten better.

Don't get me wrong, I still have my fair share of challenges. But they're different challenges. These are challenges I wouldn't have faced had I not moved past the earlier ones. And when things seem overwhelming, I just think of what he told me, and think about how much better my life is now - struggles and all - than it was on that Tuesday night.

So, this Sunday, if your dad is still around, be sure to give him a call. You never know when the day will come when such a simple act is impossible.