On Fathers and Inspiration

Today is my Dad's birthday: Big Daddy, Dad, Daddy.  I have many memories of him from when I was younger.  My most cherished memories are always of sitting on his laps and reading poems and stories before bed. 

I'll never forget, when I was small and I used to sit on his lap and he would read, "O Captain! My Captain! our fearful trip is done." I loved Walt Whitman, and I love the way he explained to me that the story was about Abraham Lincoln's death. It seemed Walt Whitman and I shared an affinity for Abraham Lincoln, and my father read me his words with enthusiasm.  He encouraged literacy, logical thinking, and of course proper grammar.  I struggle with the grammar still. 

The other day, thinking of my Dad, I looked up the differences between "lay" and "lie" on Grammar Girl.  I have never been able to use those correctly in speech (and probably writing too).  I used to hate it, when talking to my Dad, he would stop me and say, "Lie or lay, Lauren?"  I'm sure I stomped off more than once because of this, and slammed a few doors too.  Today, I do this to my own children.  I'm sure they will grow to hate it too!

In those tough high school years, I always felt like he was too critical.  I didn't sense his encouragement.  I didn't see that he wanted the best for me, until I was much older.

Now, when I speak to him, I feel like I'm the only person who exist.  He has this way of making you feel your conversation is the most important thing, and I love how his eyes light up with a really good debate or intellectual conversation. He is a thinker, a writer, a doctor, a philosopher, and he has inspired me to be a better person in my life.  He has inspired me to reach for my dreams and not to look back. He encourages me to keep looking for my happiness, to reach it and never let go. He has always made me feel like I could do anything if I set my mind to it, even if I didn't always believe him.

I love you Dad. Happy Birthday!