In my unbiased opinion, my dad is one of the coolest people in the world. Here are 10 things I learned from him!

1. Work hard: My dad’s perseverance in the face of difficult problems is something I admire and try to learn from every day. I owe my work ethic to his high expectations for me and for himself. I’ve learned to try difficult things instead of taking the easy way out by observing him. He doesn’t give up — spending more time thinking deeply and working towards a solution almost always yields results.
2. Respect others: My dad is one of the most considerate people I have ever met. His punctuality and respect for others’ time are becoming a rarer trait, but ones that I remind myself to emulate!
3. Do the thankless jobs: My dad is someone who will always step up to do the things that no one else wants to do. Someone has to do them, and he will do them correctly, so he might as well get it all over with! He doesn’t expect to be showered in praise for constantly putting others before himself (though he does like the words of affirmation when they happen to happen!) He’s taught me to do nice things for others even when they don’t seem to appreciate it.
4. Always laugh: My dad’s sense of humor is so great. We can say ridiculous things to each other and giggle uncontrollably and then remember the joke hours later and laugh about it again. I definitely owe some of my favorite jokes and phrases to him!
5. Do what you love: I’ve watched my dad’s dedication towards his students and his love for teaching, and it’s that passion for helping others learn that makes him such a great teacher. The enthusiasm and hours he pours into his job and his artistic hobbies inspire me to continue to pursue all my varied interests with equal amounts of energy.
6. Never stop learning: As a teacher, my dad is always helping others learn, but that doesn’t mean he’s done learning. He’s always ready to pick up a textbook or read up on different subjects online. His excitement and desire to keep an open mind and learn more about the universe remind me to also never stop seeking new knowledge.
7. See the beauty around you: My dad loves photography and is always taking out his camera to capture gorgeous scenes everywhere — from squirrels and deer in our backyard to street musicians in India. His knack for capturing incredible moments makes me more cognizant of the outside world and keeps me on the lookout for similar scenes of accidental beauty.
8. Inspire and be inspired: My dad loves to get inspiration from all sorts of sources — quotes, people, books, you name it. At the same time, he loves inspiring his students and other people around him to be the best versions of themselves. I’ve learned this from him and am always seeking out opportunities to let inspiration strike!
9. Don’t take yourself too seriously: Part of my dad’s sense of humor is laughing at himself, which is something I really admire. Being able to laugh it off when things don’t go your way is an incredible skill and probably the reason 90 percent of my sense of humor is making ridiculous jokes about myself!
10. Just keep reading: My dad is someone who can read the same book time and time again and get something new from it each time. He loves to read and discuss books, and a big part of my love of reading and “there’s nothing a good book can’t solve” comes from him. Reading and discussing books with him is one of my favorite things to do, and I try and do it with everyone!

Thank you for being such a wonderful, supportive parent! Happy birthday, I love you!