27 years and counting I have been fortunate enough to have a father in my life. To this day he continues to be there for me. He may not be perfect, but I can say that he always has had the best interest of both my sister and me in his heart. As a proud son, all I can say is thank you.
Today is your 57th birthday, and I want to take the time to let you know how much I love you. Share with you some of my best memories and let you know that you have done a great job at being a father to Ashly and myself. You and Mom provided one of the best environments for me to grow up. I knew every day that you all loved me and cared about me.
There was never any doubt in the fact that you believed in me. You instilled confidence in me that I am much appreciative for because it has allowed me to be my own man and not worry about what others are doing. The spirit you gave me allowed me to make the right choice even when it wasn’t the popular one. You also challenged me to be the best I could be no matter the task. Wheather it was cutting grass, homework, serving others, or sports you taught me that my best was the only option. One qualifier to this was the fact that you never compared me to others and that indeed allowed me to focus on the best I could do. You would not be upset with the results as long as it was my best. Win or lose.
Your example is something I will forever remember. Putting others first is one of your better qualities. Rarely came the day that you did not jump at the opportunity to help someone that needed some electrical work on the weekend helped cut a neighbors yard, or helped someone move. You spent much time and money to help me reach my full potential in basketball. Many hours and thousands of rebounds and assists later I was able to hone my craft, one that I still enjoy today. Lucky for you many of my shots came right through the net (there’s that confidence) and you didn’t have to chase too many errant shots. I still to this day think about all of our hours together in the backyard shooting hoops!
Another quality that I want to continue to cultivate that you have taught me through your example is calmness in the face of adversity. When Hurricane Irene hit in August 2011, I was thankful as was our family that you were our Dad. The storm caused a handful of trees to fall on our house and required quick thinking and response time to minimize the damage and ensure safety. You acted swiftly and handled the stressful situation with ease.
Thank you for everything and all of the advice and opportunities that you afforded us through your hard work and love. I will never be able to repay you, but I can continue to be the best I can and make sure your hard-work was not in vain. I will be the best husband, son, brother, friend, and co-worker I can be because I know that is what makes you happy. I will try my best to find happiness and joy each day. I will try and make someone else’s day a little brighter.
I cannot wait to see you today and celebrate your birthday with you. Time together is one of the greatest gifts of all. It is something that we are not guaranteed which is why I will always cherish our moments together. I am glad that we have been able to spend so much time together throughout the years with sporting events, vacations, and road trips. The best part of all it is not over. We will continue to have great times together, I will continue to battle you on the ping pong table, and we will keep making great memories that we can laugh about for years to come.
Happy Birthday, Dad! I love you so much! I hope you have a great day. I know that this year will be your best one yet.
Nunc Coepi 