Happy Birthday, Dad! By Ashley
Happy Birthday to my Dad! At the core, my Dad may seem simple because he likes things that are, well, simple. Simply put, his favorite color is blue, and his favorite foods are my mother’s homemade vegetable soup and an occasional pineapple upside-down cake. Nothing too spicy or overly seasoned, and hold the onion and garlic, please! His favorite place to be is home. One of his favorite pastimes is watching sports. Go Dawgs! I mean, Roll Tide! I mean War Eagle! Just kidding, it’s definitely Go Dawgs!!! He also enjoys sharing his stocked pond full of crazy big catfish with other fishermen in the family. But his favorite, favorite pastime is watching any of his 8 grandchildren do whatever it is they love to do. Simple, right?
I am here to tell you this man who appreciates the simple things in life is anything but simple.
The phrase never met a stranger, could not be more true. His love for and genuine way of communicating and connecting with the lovely human race is awesome and served him well during his 45-year career in Human Resources. A career that took him all over the world, allowing him to experience so many different cultures and meet and befriend people from all walks of life. A career that I think has given him a different perspective about the world and the people he served so well. A career that has also allowed him to be extremely generous with his family and complete strangers.
I have always loved learning, and I owe a big part of it to my Dad. Whether gazing at the stars with a small red telescope, forging quartz crystals on a vacant lot in front of our house in South Carolina, or taking pictures and wondering if photography was in my future, my Dad not only watched me grow but also found people who were experts or amateur experts in their field to help me learn and explore my passions. The support I received as a kid has carried over into my adult life. He is always interested in and supportive of whatever I do, whether writing, theatre, or yoga.
And the very cool thing is, he does this for all of his children and grandchildren. He may think this is simply being himself, but I think this is simply extraordinary.
I can honestly say he is one of the kindest and most generous individuals I know. He genuinely cares for and loves all of us. It is no surprise that to him, the word love means family. Thank you, Dad, for all you have done for and given all of us. Thank you for sharing who you are and being such a kind example. My birthday wish for you is for you to be happy and healthy and to know you are loved and appreciated on your birthday and every day.
I love you, Dad!
