Gratitude: My Dad

I saw a meme on Facebook today that got me remembering a really random but wonderful memory about my dad, and so I want to share my thoughts about it:  

My dad used to catch me when walking by or sitting talking together and give me hug and a little cash every once in awhile when I was a teenager, anything from a couple bucks to a twenty. It always hit on days when I was broke and needed gas money or wanted to do a 7-Eleven run but had no cash. Gas cost around a dollar per gallon when I first was driving, so two or three dollars meant a lot. He grew up very poor, even destitute at times, and I am pretty sure that was his motivation to do this.

Another instance of this wasn’t when I was sad but getting ready to head down the aisle to get married. He asked if I was ready, gave me a hug, and slipped me $500. I had nowhere to put it, so I tucked it into the top of my dress, then he opened the door, and we entered the chapel. What a great memory even if things didn’t turn out.

I love my dad so much for all the ways he lifted and blessed us as a family. It has been twenty years this month since he joined my mom in Paradise, so remembering special little moments like this make me even more grateful for having a dad who tried so hard to get life right.