Forever My Father’s Child

Today has been a day filled with reflecting, remembering, lots of smiles, a few somber thoughts, and some tears. Today is my Dad’s birthday. I used to say “was my dad’s birthday” until I realized that this day will always be his as long as I am here on this earth to celebrate the life that he lived. He would have been 59 years old today and still a young man by many standards.

Almost 7 years have gone by since he passed and yet parts of me feel as if I just talked to him yesterday. He was a mountain of a man, both physically and in spirit. My dad was the best man I ever knew and it hurts me to think that all of the new the people I have encountered in the past 7 years will never have the chance to meet such an awesome human being. There are often times in my life where I wish I could console in him and ask him questions about “adult” things, but for the most part I have taken those unknowns in stride and learned through trial and error. My father laid the foundation for who I am and without him I would not be the man I am today.

Both my mother and father taught me how to love. They taught me how to make decisions. They taught me how to prioritize things in my life and they showed me through example how to just be all around good people. I am very blessed to have the parents I have and I try everyday to make them proud. My mom is one of the best teachers I have ever encountered and I still have countless friends who had her in 2^nd grade who will attest to this claim. My dad never had a stable job, but he was a people’s person and a natural teacher at heart. Being in the classroom these past few days, I have thought often of my parents and the impact they have had on countless people they have been in contact with and how I now have that responsibility with the kids I am teaching. It is exciting and I am ready for the challenge. It makes me happy to think that the teachings my parents instilled in me are being passed on, however minutely, to these kids here in Taiwan.

Although my dad is no longer alive to see the man I have become and although we might have different opinions on certain things in life, I like to think that he would be proud of the things that I am doing. I have always loved and will continue to love that man every day that I am granted. Although I do not think of him incessantly, he is a part of me and his spirit lives on through me. I hope to become half the man my father was and I live every day of my life with this goal in mind.

I wrote this song for him two years ago on his birthday, but I am still proud of the lyrics and it still rings true to this day. Have a listen and read the lyrics if you feel up to it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta0jj_d87JE&list=UUIuU65GQDtNlcVis0Ekr2uw&index=5&feature=plcp

Happy birthday pops. I miss you immensely and love you unceasingly.

Forever my father’s child,

Ethan