June 21 marks Father’s Day on the calendar this year. You wake up in the morning preparing to celebrate how great your father is. You check your Instagram and Facebook newsfeeds and you see that your friends have already posted pictures captioned “Happy Father’s Day to the BEST father ever!” Naturally, you have to do the same and quickly scroll through your camera roll and throwback pictures to find a photo that best represents you and your father. While everyone has their reasons for why their fathers are the best, here are a few reasons why my dad is truly the best.
1. Teaching me about cars.
Once I started taking the driver’s education class, my dad began taking me to look at cars for when I turned 16. As the bright eyed, eager teenager I was at the time, I could not wait to get behind the wheel of my own car once I got my license. It all seemed so easy. You put the key in the ignition, turn it, and the engine is on. What I did not know at that time, was all of the extra work that goes into taking care of a car. I passed driver’s ed with flying colors, but I had no clue how to change a flat tire, how to check my tire pressure, and how to check my engine oil. My dad made sure that I knew how to do all of those things.
2. Always giving me the right advice.
I go to my dad for every decision that I make, especially when it comes to my academics. When I entered college, I had dreamed of being a marine biologist and scuba diving in the ocean for the rest of my life. My dreams changed once I began taking the classes required for my major and actually learned what it entailed. I then decided to take a few chemistry classes, and knew that I had found my calling. When I first brought up the idea of changing my major to my dad he asked me, “What is the ultimate goal?” That question brought me to the conclusion of changing my major because what I previously wanted to do no longer lined up with what I thought I wanted.
3. Teaching me how to shoot a gun.
I was taught how to shoot a gun before I could recite the ABCs or count to 100. My father found it important to know how to shoot a gun in case the apocalypse ever comes, or if I am in danger. Going shooting has become one of my favorite pastimes with my dad, and it has definitely brought us closer together.
4. Showing me how to be a leader.
As the eldest child in my family, my younger siblings look up to me. There is no manual on how to be the best big sister or even how to be the best leader. I learned from my father that the best thing to do is to lead by example. By seeing how he acted in his role as the head of the household, I was able to learn what it takes to be a leader by my father’s example.
5. Showing me that it’s okay to be yourself.
My dad is the biggest goofball I have ever met. When I was in my rebellious teenage years, I thought it was annoying when he would make up his own lyrics to songs. His most popular, was his rendition of the song, “Because I Got High,” renamed, “Because I Got Pie,” which he sings every Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner when dessert is served. I would roll my eyes and hide in a corner when my friends were around. Years later, I’ve learned that my dad was just being himself and he was not going to change that for anyone and that I should do the same.
6. Teaching me the value of a dollar.
During high school, I was always on a sports team and I did not have time for a job. Once I graduated high school, I was told that I had to have a job the summer before I began college. When I received my first paycheck, I spent it on a pair of shoes that I had wanted for a long time. Being able to pay for my own things brought a new sense of accomplishment to me. I worked at an outdoor batting cage and when it stormed, I would not be able to work due to lack of business. On those days that my work shift got cut short, I would be disappointed that I wasn’t earning any money. After a while my father told me, “at least you know the value of a dollar.”
7. Taking me on outdoor adventures.
My dad grew up camping and made sure that my family got to experience his favorite childhood pastime. Pitching tents, going to the lake, hiking in the mountains, and cooking on a grill are some of my favorite things to do because of him. He taught me to see camping as a way to get away from the world for a little bit and leave your worries behind.
8. Always pushing me to do my best.
Whenever I am nervous about an exam coming up, I always call my dad. When it comes to the majority of my undergrad classes, my dad has taken them. He always tells me not to worry and to do my best to prepare for the exam. When I was on the track team in high school he did not care that I was not the state champion (I was actually far from it), he cared that I was doing my best and having fun while doing it.
9. Teaching me to see the big picture.
When life gets me down and I am having the worst day of my life, my dad always tells me that things will work out the way that they are supposed to. I may have anxiety about how a bad test grade will affect my dreams of receiving an A, but he reassures me that one test grade in a class does not change the hardworking student that I am.
10. Showing me how a guy should treat me.
My dad has always treated my mother like she is a queen. They have a loving relationship and very seldom disagree. My dad wants what is best for my mom and has made several sacrifices to put her needs before his. Their relationship has shown me how a partnership should work and to not settle until I find a love like theirs.
