I gave my Dad his Christmas gifts today. My family gave him a big, fat book about the works of Josephus. He told me he already owned the book, and by the way the hardcover not the paperback, and that he’d already read it. I was not surprised by any of this information. My Dad is a reader, a history buff, and a teacher (though not by profession). He loves learning and knows a lot about the history of battles, religion, and movies, just to name a few things. He has an extensive DVD collection and he will tell you about an entire movie, mostly word for word, if you don’t stop him. He loves watching “The Big Bang Theory” and would love to hang out with Sheldon if he could.
I met my Dad when I was about 13 years old. He started coming over to see my mom at our house. I’d never known anyone like him before. His family roots were from the northern United States and his grandparents were Portuguese. His grandfather spoke loudly and kissed me on both cheeks when I met him. The only people I had ever known in my life were from the south. While wooing my mom my dad loved cooking things like Chicken Cacciatore and Sweet and Sour Meatballs. I’d never known a man who cooked, and much less those fancy foods I’d never eaten. He was always playing records and often in the classical genre which didn’t interest me then. But he also sprinkled in a little Cat Stevens, Simon & Garfunkel, Elton John. For that reason, I tried to think that maybe somewhere down in there was a little bit of a “cool guy”.
Some 40+ years later this cool guy is my Dad. He forgave me for all my teenage sassiness and staying out past curfew while he tried to support my mom in raising a strong-willed teenage girl. He taught me how to drive his red/orange stick shift Volkswagen Beetle and he wasn’t mad at me when I totaled it not long afterward. He gave me emotional support during some difficult life stages. He loved my daughter with every ounce of his being and he has always been her Bampy. He took care of my mom in the last year of her life and it was not easy. And he did a good job. He stood by me at her funeral and we mourned her loss together.
I looked at my Dad’s face today as he was watching my 13-month-old granddaughter run around the restaurant table where my family had lunch together. He was sitting by his wife who has also joined our family and my son-in-law who is my son, and he was laughing at baby Addie. Our relationship helps me understand how anyone can be family. And that being chosen is a very special thing for a daughter!
Happy New Year! Gayla Partin, LISW-CP, 12/31/2017