It’s the little things that I love about my dad. Those little things have made big impacts in my life.
If there ever is a question in my mind about how something works or why it is, I pick up the phone and call my dad. He seems to always have all the answers. Not just the run of the mill answers, but the real thing.
My dad is basically a walking encyclopedia.
I realized it when I was living in Australia and called home asking, “Why does pasta really make my stomach hurt, yet muffins don’t?” Without skipping a beat my dad answered, “Well, pasta is made from durum, a hard wheat and muffins are from a softer wheat.”
It’s not only that he knows the answers to my questions, but it is also how he answers the question. It is not in arrogance, but in a “hmm, let me think and recall…yep, that’s it” type of tone.
Growing up if my dad was working on a project and I inquired he would always take time to explain in perfect detail the answer to my question. Thus, I have always asked questions easily and also always thought I could do anything. I can hear my dad saying, “Summer, would you grab that please.” Sometimes it was a wrench, other times the end of a canoe, or a piece of wood he was about to chop for firewood.
It is due to his laid back approach to knowledge and life that I used to love changing the oil in my car and why I asked for a car maintenance kit for college graduation. My dad has always treated me for me, there was never any indication that it was unusual that I was interested in cars as a girl or that my sister can build anything and perhaps owns more saws than he does.
Through my dad sharing his knowledge so easily I have developed a love for learning about the world around me. If not outside working on a project, my dad can be found reading (or napping as he is reading!) Growing up I couldn’t wait to read Newsweek when it arrived in the mail. What high school kid loves Newsweek? I think I even had a subscription sent to my dorm room in college.
I also learned from my dad that doing things by hand is better for the earth and to not leave a footprint when we went hiking in the mountains or went camping. He never told me this, but it was through watching his gentle interaction with nature and how he cared for it on a daily basis.
Thanks dad for all you have taught me, I will always pick up the phone to learn more! I love you~ Happy Father’s Day!
Summer Joy
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