As I sat with my father next to the fire, we could not help but joke and tell stories about past adventures from many warm summers before. It was not until after that night that I realized how much I cherished these moments as my time in college had left us a little more distant than I would have liked. Going to college has challenged, expanded, and even changed the way I see the world around me. Sometimes these new ideas did not line up with my father's. I knew he had his opinions about the decisions I was making and the way my thinking had evolved. It was perhaps, for this reason, that I had begun to keep my life away from home, away from him. There comes a point where every father has to let go of their child and let them experience the world through their own eyes. As I watched the fire flicker in the night, I realized just how grateful I was that he had guided me in my younger years and was willing to let me make mistakes and learn from them. It was through this guidance that my morals were shaped and ultimately made me into who I am today. Even if we don’t see eye-to-eye on everything, I still see him as the 'voice of reason' in my head. With Father’s Day just around the corner, I can’t help but think of those who have rocky relationships or never had the chance to know their fathers. Fortunately, father figures come in all different forms whether it be a grandparent, a friend, a cousin, or a sibling. I think this Father’s Day we all need to appreciate the father figure we have or have had in our lives. All too often I catch myself taking for granted the lessons this person has taught me. So in the upcoming week, let us not allow this day to slip by without telling our “dad” just how much they mean to us.