Happy Birthday Dad!
I know, today is International Women’s Day – but the last birthday I spent with my Dad was 11 years ago, before he lost the battle to cancer. My Dad had a huge influence on the person I am today (both good and bad) – he raised 3 strong daughters – who are all different but filled with many of his characteristics. Although my Dad was definitely not perfect and we didn’t always see eye-to-eye, we are alike in so many ways. I sometimes wonder how he would feel knowing that all of my late-night reading with a flashlight, writing, and talkativeness has brought me to where I am today.
So, in honor of my Dad, I am going to tell you a little bit about him, a few of the ways we are similar, and some of the ways he impacted my life.
My Dad was family-oriented – he cared about and sacrificed hard for his family. If you came through our doors and sat down for dinner, you may not have been blood, but you would get that honest advice (or opinion) like you were his own. If you needed something, he would try to help where he could.
My Dad encouraged my love of reading – while we didn’t have much, our home had a lot of books. At a young age, I travelled to the library with my sisters for additional reading materials and had my own library card.
My Dad was very straightforward – like to a fault, I have this trait, but I’m working on being a little softer with it 😊. He was also honest, and had no problem speaking his mind – no matter your rank or title.
My Dad instilled in me the importance of community – that no matter where I was, I had a job to make the place better with the skills and talents that I had (whether that be school, church, the neighborhood, etc…).
My Dad was organized – I carry this trait too, but he was next level organized – which came in handy for keeping track of the many needs of kids, family, work, and a home.
My Dad fostered my interest in politics – we often watched the news and discussed various issues together; we discussed varying points of view on several topics too. He reminded me of my civic duties , and at a very minimum, to vote.
My Dad was a storyteller – he would tell all sorts of stories, understanding that these were ways of passing down knowledge and tradition. A regret I have is not listening as closely as I should’ve as a kid – because while some of these stories were scary, others were gold. Although my Dad might have cringed about the things I publicly share, I think he would be proud of me for being authentic and passing on my own stories.
My Dad taught me the value of money - how to earn it, save it for what I wanted and needed, and avoid getting into debt. I also lived these lessons, and though it was hard and I hated it, I can say I appreciate it today.
My Dad was proud of his roots, history and culture – we learned about it too, we heard about it all the time and developed quite a love and pride for where he and my Mom were from. Though we couldn’t visit as often as he may have liked, Grenada was always home.
Finally, my Dad taught me the importance of work-life balance. The importance of hard work. Showing up each day and doing your best, but also taking the time out to do things that you love, laugh with those who are your friends, and show-up for those who are your family. The balance doesn’t come easily to me, but I am definitely working on it. Maybe one day I’ll be able to incorporate some of his famous cat naps.
Dad, thank you for helping me to become the woman that I am today. Thanks for always showing up for me.
Happy Birthday!
“When my father didn’t have my hand, he had my back.” – Linda Poindexter