In Honor of Father's Day . . .

Good things I have gotten from my father:

--driving lessons

--spelling ability

--the joy of bike riding, rollercoasters, being thrown into the air—anytime I have swallowed my nervousness and cliff-jumped or whitewater-rafted or gone down a giant waterslide, and loved it--that's all Dad.

--anything I know about basketball, football, or hockey, and most of what I know of baseball

--the lyrics to obscure songs from the 40s and 50s (and the joy of changing those song lyrics)

--freedom to speak my opinions about God, politics, etc.—and to argue about those things.

--my last name, the heritage I identify with, and my paternal family members. These things would've been enough--and I still got so much more.