“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person; he believed in me.” Jim Valvano
Because June 12th may be the last Father’s Day with my dad, I want to reflect on why I am so grateful for him.
My earliest memory was when I was two or three years old, I was sitting on my dad’s lap, and the neighbor noted, “She’s such a daddy’s girl.” That shows I’ve always been and always will be a “daddy’s girl.”
As the first person in my family to graduate from college – getting an Associate’s degree after eight years, a Bachelor’s Degree four years later, and my MBA two years after that – my dad was always in the audience, beaming with pride and celebrating these accomplishments with me.
When I started speaking, dad loved being in my audience – and he’s seen me speak a lot. My first movie, “The Keeper of the Keys,” had a whole segment about my dad and his stroke. We hosted him as the guest of honor at the Red Carpet premiere in Cleveland.
When dad had his stroke and could no longer manage his finances, he trusted me to take everything over. And that means a lot.
I am blessed to be the daughter of a man filled with so much love and gratitude. Whether your dad is still on the planet or not, I wish you a Father’s Day filled with love and memories.
What is your favorite “dad moment?”
Have fun,
Lisa
PS – When my dad had his stroke and subsequent aphasia (inability to find the words to speak), his “go-to phrases were always “I love you” and “thank you.”
