Today’s Blog Dare challenge; The person from my past that influenced me the most.
The person who has influenced me the most throughout my entire life is my dad. He is a kind, compassionate, hard working man who did everything he possibly could to ensure that my 3 sisters and I had everything we needed and more. He was self-employed and worked a lot of hours to provide us with the things we had. We were spoiled. My dad made sure we always had new clothes, new school supplies, and anything else our hearts desired {within reason, of course}. He built us a beautiful home to live and grow up in from the ground up, and I’m deeply sad that we had to say goodbye to that home this past summer.
My dad has always had this way of talking to you like you’re a person, an equal, on his level. Even when I was a 3 year old, in serious trouble for stealing a little Dollarstore toy after my mom told me I couldn’t have it. He got down to my level and explained to me why stealing was wrong, and that if you wanted something you had to work hard for it. You can’t just take what you want. This mean seem like a huge speech to give a 3 year old, but it made sense to me – even then. Probably because I knew my dad worked hard, even then, to provide our family with the advantages we had. It was one of the most influential speeches I have ever received.
My dad is also one of the reasons why I write. When I was in middle school, I decided to write a novel. It was about a girl who had MHE – just like me. My dad read every single page that I wrote and encouraged me to write more. He’d also go out to Chapters and buy me tons of new books and fueled my love for reading by introducing me to a wide variety of books that most girls wouldn’t have read. For example, when I was 13 I was reading Viking war books instead of The Babysitters Club.
I used to place my dad up high on a pedestal, and honestly believed that he could do no wrong. But my dad is human, and like everybody else he’s made mistakes in his past, but I just love him all the more for admitting to those mistakes and being honest about his flaws and mistakes. He has always put his daughters first, and that hasn’t changed even though we’ve all grown up {for the most part}. My dad still continues to be one of the hugest influences in my life.
Right now, we live four and a half hours away from my dad {and sisters}, so I don’t get to see him often but we do chat on the phone every few days. If I could talk to him right now, I’d tell him that I miss him and that I love him. I’d also demand that he come out to visit Matt, Nolan and I 🙂
Sarcastica 
My dad is my hero too. I always knew I’d end up marrying a man somewhat like my father. And I am. They are both reliable and dependable. They also both have bad tempers ahaha. I think my dad was always so good to me because his own father wasn’t good to him. Sometimes that’s a vicious cycle that tends to get repeated but not in my father’s case.
When I lived 5 hours away from my dad I really missed him too.
Distance sucks. 😦
Your dad sounds like a remarkable man!
That’s so great you feel that way about your dad and he encouraged you so much 🙂
Thanks Lynne!! I’m glad my dad is as awesome as he is 🙂