Father's Day

It's Father's Day this upcoming weekend. I'm somewhat conflicted. My dad died a year ago. We weren't close. Well, lemme explain. He had a long illness. I visited everyday. Sometime we sat. Sometimes we talked. I talked freely with him. He responded in a way with which I wasn't familiar. But I went every day. We got closer. And then he died. It was a period of my life in which I wasn't making good decisions.I'm not proud of the me I was then.....but it was me.....I own what I did...and move on....
To reflect on my own daughters and being a dad.
They are the finest moments of my life. My girls. Each are someone I listen too. Both are amazingly smart, strong women. Both were there the night I was made assistant principal. I wanted to shine in their eyes. My older daughter and I have long discussions on public policy, etc. My younger daugther and I go to the mall and make fun of people. And laugh. They both fill my soul in ways they dont know but that I have to tell them. I do.
I learned how to be a dad from my dad. I remembered everything he did when I was growing up. And then did the opposite. Pretty simple formula. Luckily it worked. I told him that on a day we talked. He laughed. At least I was good for something he say. Then he told me what a good dad I was..
I am. I work at it everyday.