Father's Day

For Father's Day, I thought I would do a blog in memory of my father.

Daddy’s middle name was Stephen....for years, I thought it was always supposed to be spelled that way. I don’t know who put it that way on the birth certificate, must have been the doctor, cause Granny couldn’t read or write.
He gave me my love for music, and bought me a guitar when I graduated from high school.

I loved music so much that I would sneak out his guitar and play it when no one was home (I was a “latchkey” kid, since both parents worked). The first song I learned was “Anticipation,” by Carly Simon. When he found out I was playing, he went out and bought me a chord book. I suffered greatly from performance anxiety and could only play and sing in front of a few close friends. This is something I experienced with every school play and piano recital up until this day when someone is watching me do something. He never understood it and I think it drove us apart. Performing was a natural thing for him. Maybe he had dreams of our becoming a musical act, I don’t know.

He encouraged all my interests, including astronomy and writing. For Christmas and birthdays I would get telescopes and microscopes and creative toys along with the obligatory dolls that girls are supposed to get.

He instilled in me a love for nature. It was always his idea to go camping and momma suffered to go along. She hated it, but we went anyway because it was cheaper than staying in a motel...especially after we bought our own camper.

We had a lawn mower that probably lasted twenty years. Daddy didn’t believe in buying anything new if he could help it. That lawn mower had a wheel that would fall off while you were mowing. I’d be mowing the grass and all of a sudden, I’d realize I only had three wheels. I’d look back to see the wheel rolling in the opposite direction behind me.

Daddy had a great sense of humor. He told me some of my best dirty jokes. He loved to watch Road Runner cartoons and the Three Stooges. Peanuts and Tumbleweeds comic strips would send him into fits of convulsive laughter. He always had a positive outlook and a ready smile for everyone. I like to think that was my legacy from him.
I think that’s what I miss most about him.

But I think the best thing I got from him is the love of his family...my aunt and grandmother...who loved me for myself and taught me faith, hope, and wisdom.

---

Leader of the Band

I thank you for the music
And your stories of the road
I thank you for the freedom
When it came my time to go
I thank you for the kindness
And the times when you got tough
And, papa, I don’t think I
Said ’I love you’ near enough

~Dan Fogelberg~