My dad is one of the greatest people you’ll ever meet. And if you think otherwise, you don't really know him, or you don’t know him like I do; and if either of those is the case, you’re missing out. I’ve read so many articles and seen so many posts bashing dads; an absent father, a dead beat dad, etc. This article is not like those.

Mind you, for most of my life, my mom was always the one going on field trips, staying up late helping me study and with projects, but whenever a field trip needed funding, my car needed a little work, or if I “needed” new back to school clothes, I was on the trip, my car was fixed and I got the clothes because of my dad. I know so many people who can’t say the same things about their dads. That is because my dad has worked my whole life to provide for me and my mom; to make sure whatever we needed, we never went without (he did make it to all of my graduations). Maybe at some points in my life I resented him for not being as present as my mom, but where I am right now, I’m just so thankful for him and what he sacrificed by not being there, for us.

Most of the time, he’s more like a big brother than anything else. I love going home for a visit and the two of us ganging up on my mom, with pure aggravation. Within three minutes of starting up, we can have her screaming at us to “GO AWAY,” or “STOP IT, BOTH OF YOU.” And just like a big brother, he can go from teaming up against my mother with me, to turning on me and just like that, I’m his target of aggravation. I wouldn't have it any other way.

My dad is one of those people who knows a lot about a lot. Any topic, any question, anything; he knows something about it, some things more than others, but always something. The Beatles, football, baseball, World War II, presidents, actors, movies; you name it, he knows it. Another one of my favorite things about him. Growing up and even now, when we pass by something or see something; he asks me about it and if I don’t know, he gives me a little lesson; educating me and expanding my knowledge on things I didn’t know much about before.

My dad is also a compass in my life. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to grad school because I wasn’t too keen on the idea of loans, so I presented my dilemma to him. He told me that not only would I be helping myself in furthering my education, but I would be helping myself because paying off loans helps credit. These dilemmas in my life make me appreciate him so much more; because if it weren’t for him, I’d probably take the easy way out of a lot of things, and I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I have.

I could keep talking about how awesome of a dad I have, but I don’t want to make you too envious.

Dad, this one is for you. I don’t thank you nearly enough. Thank you for never giving up (when I’ve given you plenty of reasons to), thanks for passing on your love of football, music, introducing me to great movies ("Jaws", "The Graduate", "The Birds", "How to Kill a Mockingbird", "The Shining", "It’s a Wonderful Life", etc.), introducing me to new places, being an example of what having a work ethic is (I finally found mine!), always pushing me to be my very best, and just being you.