Lessons of Love

He is the first man I ever loved. He is the man against which all other males in my life have been measured. He is my dad.

I’ve learned many useful skills from my daddy – how to wire a plug-in and three-way switch; how to change the wax ring on my toilet and remove/replace the U-trap to retrieve a contact; how to change my oil, a tire and start a car without a key (should the need ever arise…); how to inspect and drive a bus; and how to fill the soap containers and restart the pumps at the car wash (admittedly haven’t had to use this one much since moving away from BP…) just to name a few. Many of these were learned with a rather lengthy description and usually a diagram drawn on a scrap of paper or a piece of cardboard. Because of this they are skills I won’t soon forget and they are skills that I use constantly. He is literally a “Jack of all trades.”

My dad has a story for everything. He has a memory for places and dates – especially when it comes to his hunting adventures. Drives in the countryside around the Mann Family Farm in Missouri are ripe for storytelling times and memory joggers. These are some of the times I love with him.

I loved the ride to high school each day with my dad. These are some of my most cherished memories – times I had him all to myself. I loved having my dad at school, too – pop privileges, my own personal bank, just simply knowing he was just down the hall.

I’ve learned many life lessons from this man as well – that it is best to look for both sides of the story because forgiveness and blame are simply different sides of the same coin; that love is best and most complete when given unconditionally; that discipline is most effectively done in love; that compassion trumps indifference; to not take myself too seriously; to not let the little setbacks of my day get me down because everything happens for a reason that may not ever be known to me. He’s taught me to not take life for granted and to live every day to the fullest because we never know when it’s our time.

Our family readily admits that our dad is living on borrowed time – and it’s time that he’s not wasting on petty things. He loves passionately. We each know how much we are loved as hugs and kisses and love affirmations have always been plentiful in our house. His life is an everyday adventure. He spends time doing the things he loves – golfing, hunting – animals AND mushrooms, reading, building, teasing Mother, telling stories, (insert napping here and there), singing, fixing, teaching. Always teaching. He gives of himself freely to his kids, his grandkids, his friends and even people he doesn’t yet know because no one is a stranger to him for long. He blesses us all greatly each and every day.

I look back on my childhood with my parents, sister and brother and I realize how lucky I am – we are. I can’t even wrap my mind around how much we were loved. Are loved. Very well loved. Very much blessed.

Happy Father’s Day and Happy Birthday to my wonderful dad. I love you so much. Thank you for loving us so well.


~ In honor of my dad for Father's Day this Sunday and his 78th birthday next Sunday.