A tribute to Fathers

Today is fathers day, where all across the country men and women will honor their dads. I wasn't fortunate to know my dad during the formative years of my life, it wasn't until I was about six or seven that I was finally able to start spending time with him. Though those years can't ever be done over, they can and have been made up for. My dad despite dropping out of school is very gifted in what he is able to do. I've watched him fix my car when it would break down, sometimes with just some tape and a piece of rope. He was always able to get more out his cars than what was normal, putting over two hundred thousand miles on them when they should of quit many miles before that. Besides being an accomplished mechanic, my dad is also very good at building things, I've seen him build chimneys out of rock, making beautiful structures for nice homes. One thing my dad taught me was to never run away from a fight, he was and still is a big man. What I'm most proud of though and my most cherished thought is the phone call I had received from him after my first book was published. He called to tell me he was proud of me, and enjoyed reading my book. He then said something that made me cry afterwards, he said he went out and got a bible to help him understand the scriptures that were in my book. My mom and dad were divorced by the time I was a year old or shortly thereafter, and now after almost 40 years later, they are dating again, and making plans to get married. He attends church, has been working on quitting smoking and drinking, and I look forward to one day, standing beside him in Heaven, next to my grandpa and grandma, who prayed often for their son, my dad. So on this very special day, where we honor our dads, I want my dad to know, as a son, I'm proud of you, and though I didn't say it enough when I was a child, I say it now, Dad, I love you! And that my friends is the reality of it.