22 Comments

Oh what a lovely story/ tribute. That you for sharing a moment or two of your Dad. And Happy Fathers Day to you as well.

Expand full comment

You are most welcome Teyani. And thank you for the kind words and Father's Day wishes.

Expand full comment

Excellent story! Yes we are now the old timers! Cats in the Cradle is a sad song 🎵 if we allow life to pass us by!

Expand full comment

For me it was a warning to remain present and not allow the demands of the world to take me away from my real work, that of being a good husband and father.

Expand full comment

Much truth in that David....and may add to keep God (The Triune One) at the helm so our ship may journey through the storms and also calmness during our journey checking into ports along the way to both enlighten, inspire and educate us towards our final destination! Pax, Lux et Amor IHS

Expand full comment

I have no idea how to describe what I felt reading you.

Today, I was pretending that it was a normal day. However, I'm here tearing up remembering my Dad and thinking that instead, I should have written about him and the amazing things I learned from him.

I am very grateful for all the things I am learning from you.

Happy Father's Day!

PS: While reading about your Dad, I thought about a patch of wild daisies I am letting grow in my front yard. They just showed up there in the middle of it, making a circle, and I didn't mow them down. I like your Dad. No wonder why you're so amazing.

Expand full comment

He would have liked your patch of wild daisies. That was his way.

Expand full comment

I don’t have it in me to share the complexity of what today means to me on my own platform, but I’m very grateful to be able to read your words and feel. Thanks, David.

Expand full comment

I'm glad this was here for you JJ. 🙏🏻

Expand full comment

Happy Father’s Day to you as well. Thank you for sharing your gift.

Expand full comment

You are most welcome John and thank you for your kind words of encouragement.

Expand full comment

Not sure if we're all heroes, David, but pretty sure we're all complex and imperfect.

Questioning whether we actually need to die from one life to move into another? Many of us, women for sure but not exclusively, live concurrently in multiple identities, relationships and social worlds. Would love to hear more about this from you.

Expand full comment

In this case I was reflecting on the passing of one part of my life and the beginning of another. I agree we are most often many things at once. There are times when we have to give up one to be another. To embrace my current calling I had to give up the previous one. To hold onto it would be half in half out. That is not living in either.

Expand full comment

A lovely tribute, David. And a beautiful illustration of how we learn by watching. I was just telling my dad today how I got some of my key values from him - a love of nature and learning.

Expand full comment

Those things they pass on seem to come to light the older we get. Glad you had that moment of connection with your dad yesterday.

Expand full comment

No longer being something while becoming something new. This hits me today, for some reason.

You and I have talked before about how our dad's modeled principles of ikigai for us before we even knew what it was. Some days I remember the strangest things about it. Like his hands. (or -hand, I should say, since he blew the other one off playing with explosives when he was 16. He had designs on becoming a Navy pilot before that happened. I wonder how my life would be different or if I would even be exist if he hadn't suffered that loss.) Anyway, I notice mine, and remember it looks like his.

Expand full comment

It is funny you mention noticing hands. In recent years I've noticed I rest my hand on my leg like he did. There is a song I used to listen to frequently a portion of which comes to mind often. "..give them someone to be lonely for." I'd say our dads did just that.

Expand full comment

That's a great line.

Expand full comment

One of my favorite pieces you have written. Beautiful, my friend.

Expand full comment

Thank you for those kind words of encouragement. Those are some of my favorite memories.

Expand full comment

Happy father's day David. Celebrating all the lives you've nurtured through living your ikigai!

Expand full comment

Thank you Alivyana! 🙏🏻

Expand full comment