Happy Father's Day!

Until I was 12, I took my dad for granted.  I accepted his unconditional love for me, and for my mother and brother, as a birthright, an expected part of being his daughter.  I thought all fathers were like him, and everyone had what I had in the man they called dad.  I didn’t realize my great fortune in having the father I had.

Vision....

I have been thinking a lot lately about what leads some people to phenomenal success, while others, equally smart and with similar education and experience, languish in obscurity.  I can't prove it, but I think the difference might be at least partly down to vision.

You have to see the possibilities before you can claim the opportunities.  So simple, so obvious, yet so difficult to do in real life.

The voice inside your head....

I don't know about other people, because their life experience is different than mine, but I know that tough times have led to two relationships unlike any other in my life, one with my mother, and the other with my daughter.  (I have a pretty unique relationship with my son, too, but it's different, and anyway, this isn't about him!)

I lost my father at age 12, and ironically, my daughter was 12 when her dad and I separated.  Although each situation was different, it was also surprisingly the same.  Thoughts, feelings, emotions - they were often mirror images at the same age.  I have had the unique opportunity to experience both sides of that coin, and it has allowed me insight to both women that I would otherwise not have had.  As hard as it has been at times, it is a privilege to be in my life, sandwiched by these two strong and independent women.

My dad...

I have been thinking about my dad a lot over the last few days.  I don't usually spend a lot of time dwelling on it, but sometimes I wish he was here to talk to.  Fathers bring unique perspective and passion to the business of living, and sometimes I wish I could tap his wisdom and feel his hug one more time.  This has been one of those weeks.

Pot luck, Lutheran style

There are very few things we can be certain of in life.  But here are three things I know for sure.

• Death will come to all of us at some point.
• Taxes are odious and will always be too high, no matter how much we have to pay.
• You will never starve at a Lutheran pot luck.

I try to avoid death as best I can (there are several doctors putting their kids through St. Olaf on what I have spent to elude it,) and taxes are currently a sore subject around here (it is mid-March and the pressure is mounting.)  So I guess that leaves pot lucks, which is one of my favorite topics.