Thank you for this beautiful and treasured gift. You are such a gifted listener, thinker, and intentional processor of life. It’s wonderful to see that you so often use those gifts to bless others.
What a refreshing and great tribute to your dad. Most of us have a very human tendency to want to point out the flaws, failings and weaknesses of others. But in identifying and discussing his strengths and positive attributes, he is honored, and you become a great cheerleader for him. As a dad, I know that Gary will cherish these comments and be lifted by your praise. Blessings to you!
Thank you Craig! It is easy to focus on the negative, and intentionally focusing on the positive is one of my dad's best traits that I hope to keep learning!
Thank you for this lovely and honoring gift to your father and to all of us who have fathers. My father was definitely a mix of the good and beautiful and the hard and painful. But in the 34 years I have missed him, it is the good that has remained with me and I am more grateful and blessed each year with the memories of deeply sharing good books, movies, conversations, people, architecture, and creative work together. My father has become my cheerleader and friend in my memories.
Thank you, Henny. Something I've been mulling over about my past in general is that I can choose what to hold close and treasure, even though all of it is part of my story. If your dad is anything like you, I know he would be proud of the life you and Jim have built and the hospitable way you live your life together. I visited my grandmother in memory care recently and it was so meaningful when she told me that my grandfather would be proud of me. I'm glad your dad has become your cheerleader and friend in your memories. Thank you for sharing. ❤️
This brought tears to my eyes. What a lovely tribute! I wholly agree with you that celebrating the good is just as important as trying to make sense of what is hard. When I was in a creative nonfiction writing class in college, I shared a piece that was about my extended family's Christmas Tree Farm and how many good memories I had from it. One of my classmates said: "No one's life can be so good." I'm still open-mouthed from that comment. I feel sad for that young woman. I feel so grateful that the God of good gifts gave me a good and functional family. Thank you for celebrating goodness in all your posts. A blessed birthday to your dad! May your relationship with him continue to grow and deepen! (I have a feeling our dads would get along!)
Thank you, Elizabeth! I truly hope your classmate now knows a family that astonishes her with its peacefulness. I'm so glad you know that life yourself. It sounds like our families would get along swimmingly. Praise God for good fathers!
Melody, what a lovely recollection and tribute to your anything-but-boring dad. So much to celebrate! (and thank you for including the Irene Hunt at the end of your post--I now understand the genesis of "Mirrored Longings.")
How I enjoyed this tribute, Melody, the quiet honor and touches of humor. My husband's birthday is tomorrow and mine was three weeks and three days ago...sounds like you and your siblings, like our children, celebrate Mom's birthday with Mother's Day and Dad's birthday with Father's Day.
Oh Sheila, thank you! This time of year is so full for us: May-July has 6 family birthdays, 3 wedding anniversaries, and Mother's Day and Father's Day. My mother-in-law and I were the only ones with good sense to be born at other times of the year 😂 but I love celebrating in months with good weather. I hope you have a lovely celebration with your family this June! ❤️
Melody,
Thank you for this beautiful and treasured gift. You are such a gifted listener, thinker, and intentional processor of life. It’s wonderful to see that you so often use those gifts to bless others.
Love, Dad
It is a profound privilege to be your daughter, and I'm so glad I inherited those traits from you!
What a refreshing and great tribute to your dad. Most of us have a very human tendency to want to point out the flaws, failings and weaknesses of others. But in identifying and discussing his strengths and positive attributes, he is honored, and you become a great cheerleader for him. As a dad, I know that Gary will cherish these comments and be lifted by your praise. Blessings to you!
Thank you Craig! It is easy to focus on the negative, and intentionally focusing on the positive is one of my dad's best traits that I hope to keep learning!
Thank you for this lovely and honoring gift to your father and to all of us who have fathers. My father was definitely a mix of the good and beautiful and the hard and painful. But in the 34 years I have missed him, it is the good that has remained with me and I am more grateful and blessed each year with the memories of deeply sharing good books, movies, conversations, people, architecture, and creative work together. My father has become my cheerleader and friend in my memories.
Thank you, Henny. Something I've been mulling over about my past in general is that I can choose what to hold close and treasure, even though all of it is part of my story. If your dad is anything like you, I know he would be proud of the life you and Jim have built and the hospitable way you live your life together. I visited my grandmother in memory care recently and it was so meaningful when she told me that my grandfather would be proud of me. I'm glad your dad has become your cheerleader and friend in your memories. Thank you for sharing. ❤️
This brought tears to my eyes. What a lovely tribute! I wholly agree with you that celebrating the good is just as important as trying to make sense of what is hard. When I was in a creative nonfiction writing class in college, I shared a piece that was about my extended family's Christmas Tree Farm and how many good memories I had from it. One of my classmates said: "No one's life can be so good." I'm still open-mouthed from that comment. I feel sad for that young woman. I feel so grateful that the God of good gifts gave me a good and functional family. Thank you for celebrating goodness in all your posts. A blessed birthday to your dad! May your relationship with him continue to grow and deepen! (I have a feeling our dads would get along!)
Thank you, Elizabeth! I truly hope your classmate now knows a family that astonishes her with its peacefulness. I'm so glad you know that life yourself. It sounds like our families would get along swimmingly. Praise God for good fathers!
Melody, what a lovely recollection and tribute to your anything-but-boring dad. So much to celebrate! (and thank you for including the Irene Hunt at the end of your post--I now understand the genesis of "Mirrored Longings.")
Thank you Judy! 😊 I love that quotation so much (obviously, haha) and I keep it on the About page, too!
How I enjoyed this tribute, Melody, the quiet honor and touches of humor. My husband's birthday is tomorrow and mine was three weeks and three days ago...sounds like you and your siblings, like our children, celebrate Mom's birthday with Mother's Day and Dad's birthday with Father's Day.
Oh Sheila, thank you! This time of year is so full for us: May-July has 6 family birthdays, 3 wedding anniversaries, and Mother's Day and Father's Day. My mother-in-law and I were the only ones with good sense to be born at other times of the year 😂 but I love celebrating in months with good weather. I hope you have a lovely celebration with your family this June! ❤️