I will take this opportunity to shower some attention on my dad, a man who prefers I do not share anything, but will be a good sport about it when I do.
It goes without stating, but my dad is one of the 'good ones'. He belongs in an elite category of men through history who can only be described as the "best of men." What warrants this distinction?
In the history of my life--as recorded in thousands of personal writings--my dad was there to support, encourage, and uplift. He has played a significant role in shaping my character. And isn't that the ultimate duty of a loving parent? Aside from providing food and shelter, parents have the hefty responsibility of raising somewhat balanced individuals who contribute to society. Agree or disagree, I am positive that my stubborn personality was refined by parents who took the time to talk and listen. I will share one example for this post.
As a child, my dad would wake with the rising sun and ask the family if we would like to join him for a morning walk or run. He would always mention that when he was a kid his dad would dump buckets of cold water on him and his brother as a wake up call to begin their run to the east (Navajo tradition). My dad did not resort to such tactics, but I figured if he could get up and run, I could too. I may not have been the natural athlete he was, but I would get up and go. Years later, I still prefer early morning runs. I attribute much of my scrappiness to those simple yet consistent experiences of pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I credit my dad with giving me those opportunities to prove my scrappiness so that when I left home, I would be able to fly.
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| Two scrappy Navajos, a grandpa and his grandson, hiking near Page, AZ. Fun fact: I still run these trails when I visit the parents. |
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| Three curious, fun-loving, scheming individuals. In other words, a grandpa encouraging the next generation of scrappy Navajos. |
