I had a very unique and wonderful relationship with my Dad.  As some of you know my Mother left our household when I was 13 years old.  On that day I became a caretaker to my younger siblings and my Dad became a single parent of 4 little kids and my partner in taking care of the household.

Not an easy time for him and for us however I remember so many of the wonderful little things my Dad did for us in spite of the monumental task of working full time to put food on the table and taking care of 4 young kids.

Like the time he took us camping and showed us how to fish… It was freezing by the way and we didn’t catch any fish, but he wanted his kids to have these experiences.

Or the time he brought home a goose to fatten up for Xmas dinner… Well that didn’t happen,  the Goose became Felix the pet Goose

Or the times on Sunday afternoon watching he favorite show …wrestling… He would wrestle all of us at once.  He would also take glee in beating us at table tennis, and he almost always made it home for a sit down dinner.  He didn’t go to Church but he made sure us kids got exposed to Sunday school till each of us turned 16.

My favorite moments together however  happened when I left the house to start my own independent life.  We would meet once a month for dinner.  Just us, a dad and daughter date.  We catch up on our lives and laugh a lot. He almost choked once teaching me how to eat a chill pepper.

My job took me all around the world and when I flew back to our hometown,  he would be waiting at  the airport to pick me up with a dozen roses. We would then enjoy  the 45 minutes or so that it took for us  drive to the childhood home to be together…. just the two us.

I always felt incrediblly loved and never judged and believe me I tested him a few times.

I lost my Dad too soon, however he taught me to be independent, curious, be of service to others, and he left me the best gift of all… He told me before he died that it is time to let go of the childhood pain and the bubble wrap I had surrounded myself with and let people in.

I think  he would have be proud of his kids and what they have been able to accomplish in spite of a pretty rough start.  I am forever grateful that he was my DAD!

Have a happy Father’s day and enjoy you time with your DAD… Make experiences together … That is what is truly special and lives on forever.

Have a healthy week

Dr Pia