Today is my Dad's 48th birthday. This morning, I looked in the mirror and saw a tired 24 year old looking back, when I realized that this year was different. Not only am I half the age of my dad, but I'm also a new father of an amazing 6-month old little boy. My dad would have been 23 at the time of my birth, just as I was with my son, but 24 by the time I turned 6 months old. I've been thinking about how strange that is, how fast time goes by. I wonder how my dad felt, what dreams and aspirations he might of had in his head and whether or not he had seen them manifest into reality. I look at my son and think of how fast he has grown already and wonder what he will be like at my age and when his grandpa is 72. I'm sure that a to has changed since then and things aren't quite like what he may have thought they would be at 24, just as I have no idea what my life will be like at 48.

My wife, son, and I live in Minnesota while my mom, brother, and dad celebrate his birthday somewhere around 1,200 miles away in Texas. See, I left home in 2010 and began college here in Minnesota and life is unimaginably different for all of us since then, in ways expected and not-so-expected. We visit, though not near as often as we'd like. I spend a lot of time thinking about my family, memories that we made, and lessons I've learned. Today, I want to take the opportunity to reflect on some of those lessons.

Here are 48 lessons I learned form my father:

1. Ishirô Honda movies are some of the earths greatest treasures

2. How to properly make an epic campfire

3. and epic torches

4. and how to have a proper fireworks finale

5. How to maintenance a car

6. How to think critically to figure out more complex car problems

7. How to be a video game master

8. and how to lose with grace and dignity

9. How to camp like a pro

10. How to canoe

11. How to drive

12. and how not to drive

13. How to properly handle your engine exploding at 60 mph on a back road

14. The best taste in music

15. To never say you can't until you've tried your best

16. Doctor Who is the greatest show of all time

17. That you don't have to decide between Star Wars and Star Trek. You can love both!

18. and that sci-fi is one of the greatest genres EVER

19. How to climb a tree

20. How to think for myself and question everything

21. The meaning of hard-work and never giving up

22. How to stand up for what is right

23. How to appreciate the little things in life

24. The sense of pride that comes with making your own R/C car

25. and how amazingly rewarding it is to take that to a racetrack and see what you've accomplished

26. The meaning of family

27. How to be the best I can be

28. How to be a good dad

29. How to ride a bike

30. How to troubleshoot and fix a computer

31. How to build cool stuff

32. How to be able to assemble anything, even Ikea furniture, without instructions

33. How to stand up for myself and shrug of bullies

34. How to recognize a cheaply made B-movie for the treasure that it is

35. How to cook like a pro

36. How to care for others

37. How to listen and think before I speak

38. To be proud of the things you love

39. To seek adventure wherever you can find it

40. That life is full of situations which will test you and tear you down, but you can make it through anything with patience, and resilience

41. What it means to make a promise and keep it

42. and all around doing what you say you're going to do

43. How to have fun

44. How to tell a really killer butt joke

45. The power of being passionate about something

46. How to find time to play, joke, laugh, and enjoy life for what it is

47. How to be awesome

48. and how to be the kind of person a son can look up to

I love you, Dad. Happy birthday. Thank you for everything.