Tribute to my Father
On May 21, 2011, my father passed away from cancer at the age of 74. He will be dearly missed. This world lost a very special man and while his impact is small to the 7 billion people who live on this planet right now, to those who knew him, it is very hard to not have him around any more.
I loved my father very much. I used to stop on my trips to our hometown to visit and he was always glad to see me. He'd love to spend time with a pint of Guinness to just sit and talk. You were always welcome and never, and I mean never, did you ever feel like you were interrupting anything that was more important than your time with him. And if you were a daughter who tended to dominate the conversations, he would sit there and listen to every word, sipping away on his Guinness; to the very end. (Actually, sis', it always allowed him to have another.)
If you shared your problems, he never made you feel bad. Instead, he would show his appreciation for your ability to live life with its ups and downs and that no matter what, he was there and he loved you.
Much of that may have been a result of his own life. Despite some of the circumstances thrown his way, he was a faithful and integral person. Unfortunately, life's circumstances don't always take you down the path you expect, and in many ways, my father was a victim of circumstances in his life; yet he was always able to embrace the new course and, well, from my perspective, still be the father I knew him to be. Yeah, there's no question that the residual effects of some of his decisions affected others along the way, including myself, he always demonstrated that you still took responsibility for your actions. You never, and I mean ever, heard him say anything bad about anyone else. He took responsibility where it was due and he made sure he did whatever was right where he could control it.
I loved my father very much. I used to stop on my trips to our hometown to visit and he was always glad to see me. He'd love to spend time with a pint of Guinness to just sit and talk. You were always welcome and never, and I mean never, did you ever feel like you were interrupting anything that was more important than your time with him. And if you were a daughter who tended to dominate the conversations, he would sit there and listen to every word, sipping away on his Guinness; to the very end. (Actually, sis', it always allowed him to have another.)
If you shared your problems, he never made you feel bad. Instead, he would show his appreciation for your ability to live life with its ups and downs and that no matter what, he was there and he loved you.
Much of that may have been a result of his own life. Despite some of the circumstances thrown his way, he was a faithful and integral person. Unfortunately, life's circumstances don't always take you down the path you expect, and in many ways, my father was a victim of circumstances in his life; yet he was always able to embrace the new course and, well, from my perspective, still be the father I knew him to be. Yeah, there's no question that the residual effects of some of his decisions affected others along the way, including myself, he always demonstrated that you still took responsibility for your actions. You never, and I mean ever, heard him say anything bad about anyone else. He took responsibility where it was due and he made sure he did whatever was right where he could control it.
He was always well respected in his work because he didn't care how high he got. He cared that for those he worked with you were valued by him as a person. If you were his boss, he made sure that when he did his job it would reflect towards their success. To his subordinates, he showed his heartfelt appreciation for everything you did. You see, the relational part of the job was important to him and it was reflected in the way he treated others.
As his son, you always knew you were loved and appreciated. I have a stepbrother as well from one of his marriages and not once did he ever treat me better or worse than him. As a result, today, we are good friends. Unfortunately, we don't get to see each other as much as we'd like but we are as much brothers as any blood brothers and I really appreciate that.
So, here's to you dad. I miss you and every time I have a Guinness, it will be in your honor.
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