I've been spending a lot of time with my dad lately. This has been a great gift to me. Like many children, I adored my dad as a little girl. I watched him carefully, listened to his words with care, and enjoyed our many family outings, dinners, and other good times. Dad was always focused on doing anything he could to make our lives wonderful. He researched great places to visit at the local library and asked teachers what he could do to help us do well in school. He led us in thoughtful conversation at the dinner table and supported our interests. To me, again like many children, my dad was the best dad and man in the world.
When I became a teen, my relationship with dad suffered a bit due to many prevalent myths and mindsets of the time, myths and mindsets that worked against empowering actions and support for young women. In the world where I lived, many still believed that women should be as pretty and helpful as possible. There was much less support for women to follow paths of passion and interest, and much more support for women to be obedient wives, mothers, and caregivers. Dad's words often mirrored those mindsets and myths, yet he did encourage me to go to college and helped me in that regard. That was a great gift to me, a gift that some of my friend's dad's would not support.
I lived at college, a place where women were encouraged to learn and embrace their passions. Then, despite Dad's cautionary tales related to prevalent myths and mindsets, I took my dreams and passions seriously and embarked on a teaching career. To Dad's happiness, I also married and had a family. During these years, Dad was super busy with my siblings and their families. We kept our relationship going, but there was some distance due to our differing priorities at the time. Now, however, our relationship has returned to the way it was when I was a little girl in many ways--Dad and I have become close since we spend so much time together, and in his ninth decade, Dad has greatly updated his mindset and perspective about women and life. He's far more inclusive and far less judgmental now. His reverence for life is greater than ever and his ability to lovingly support my choices and needs in life is incredibly helpful and positive.
One aspect of Dad's life that has touched me greatly is his passion for hiking and walking in beautiful natural settings. Since Dad's earliest days, he has enjoyed being outside. He tells the story of how he would bike to a nearby lake when he was young to swim and ice skate all the time. On the way home he'd let the trolly car pull him and his bike back up the hill to his home. As little children, Dad took us for walks in nearby nature preserves and parks all the time. Later, he took us on lengthy mountain and beach hikes, and now at almost-93 he still walks almost every day on beautiful local nature trails.
Dad has nurtured his love of walking and hiking in nature throughout his life, and he's shared this passion with countless relatives and friends. His passion has served to introduce so many of us to the sport of hiking and walking--a pastime we all enjoy.
As I think about Dad's long life and many positive contributions to my life, one of the greatest impacts he has had on me is imparting his love of nature--an interest I have adopted too. Seeing the powerful effect of Dad's love of nature makes me realize how important it is for us to nurture our healthy, positive interests and passions because when we do that we nurture a great gift for others, gifts that empower their lives too. Onward.