Happy Father’s Day!
You ever look for a photo that catches a person’s real-life essence in one photo, the way you always see them, the way they look through your own eyes? Well, this photo is it. And, how often do you get a bonus two-for-one?
This is my father letting my brand-new bride in on some secret at our wedding! The crime occurred in October of 1982 – not the wedding, the secret sharing! – and the reason this is the perfect picture is because he’s always known secrets that no one else quite got! Until he explained it to them, that is.
Let me tell you what I mean by that. My father has a perpetual twinkle in his eye. Lots of people have that, but many are either irresponsible, uncommitted, deceitful or shallow. My father is the opposite of every one of those. Perhaps the best educator I’ve ever seen in action, married for 61 years now, one of the best thinkers you will find, he is definitely not a vapid character. But, the qualities I listed above often go with a dry, pedantic person of little creativity. Again, no fit. No, this is a guy with a lust for life!
What you have before you is a unique individual with an extremely good sense of what he is about and who he is, combined with a fighter’s spirit. He’s overcome more health issues than can be recounted here, starting with premature birth at home in the middle of a harsh Kansas winter, weighing in at under three pounds, with an open oven door for an incubator as his introduction to life. Eighty-three and one half years later, Kansas and life still haven’t beaten him. And both Kansas and life have done their best and know they’ve been in a scrap!
Dad will color within any lines that make sense. It just happens that a lot of them don’t! You see, that is the key that makes him unique. Many people follow the rules as a way of life. Many people rebel against rules as a way of life. Dad never has cared about either approach. He’s always believed and acted in a way that made sense to him in the situation. Some decisions and actions had tough consequences. Some stands were totally unpopular. He was against the Viet Nam war by 1965! Not the stance you would expect from a highly successful Kansas public school principal. But, he already knew it didn’t make sense.
But, what always saves the day in the end, is his huge heart, his love of people and life – and a fantastic sense of humor. Somehow, once he reveals the secret…it only makes sense!
Happy Father’s Day, Dad, to you and any other dads reading this message!! Ya know I love ya!!
Addendum: My father wanted you to know that his opposition to the Viet Nam war was not because he isn’t a patriot. He served three years in the Army in World War II and was a member of the first assault wave headed to Japan when the bombs were dropped. That makes his awareness all the more remarkable.
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