I think I am expected to be sad today, but I am not. How could I be sad when I had the best dad for 49 years? Today marks one year since he left us, and I miss him like crazy and always will, but I feel so loved by him, even still. He wasn’t perfect, but man he was so full of love. I’m so lucky he was my dad.

I found some notes in my phone jotted under the title “Things I Learned from My Dad.” Here they are:

1. Personality & attitude often top experience.

Several times in life, I landed a job or an assignment well beyond what I was “qualified” for. A positive attitude counts for so much in this world. I also think humility factors in, so there’s a balance between believing you can do something and selling that to someone else while not coming off like a cocky jerk. He was never a jerk.

2. Beer makes crappy chores better.

I’m not sure where this should really go in the lineup, but yeah, yardwork is almost always better with beer. I once used this tactic to change a headlight in my old Trailblazer, and it worked like a charm.

3. Laughter takes the edge off of uncomfortable situations.

My dad made jokes. He ALWAYS made jokes. It could be a wedding or a funeral, it didn’t matter. Dad would find the humor, we would laugh, and it would all feel so much better. Laughter connected us, and it kept us all in one piece. Humor matters. A light heart matters.

4. Push the envelope, but do it nicely.

The big guy (he was a giant, tis true) was afforded privileges others were not, simply because he asked for them nicely. He made shit happen because he was a genuinely likable guy.

5. Strive for the impossible.

I always thought my dad knew everything and could do anything, and that opened up a world of possibility for me. Side note: I was super pissed any time he said, “Honey, I don’t know.” Because I always believed he knew.

6. Music soothes the soul.

Every night, he would pour a drink and sit down with his guitar in his big chair. There was always background music in my childhood, and from the earliest age, I understood that music was a key factor in relaxation, joy, and connection.

Love you forever, Dad. Thank you for every lesson. xo