My Father

I have a sign in my office that says "My father taught me how to fly." It's somewhat a play on words. But it's also very much the definition of my life because he taught me to "fly" both literally and figuratively. Dad did fly planes. And he took me up to let me try my piloting skills in my first flight before I was ever old enough to drive a car. I grew up hearing "...it's like flying a plane, honey" as the answer to various questions about life and relationships. But he also taught me that flying is not just about planes, it's an attitude. It's an outlook. It's a way of living one's life and keeping perspective while doing so.

Due to some recent life and local events, I was thinking about parenthood on my way to work. My mind drifted off to my own parents. And it suddenly occurred to me, I was born to perfect parents. I kid you not! There was never any drinking, cursing, name calling, or judgement. They modeled appropriate behaviors, responses, and attitudes. My folks always did and still to this day, epitomize the definition of love with both family and friends.

I didn't appreciate my folks during my teen years. I considered them to be hyper-conservative, over-protective and terribly backwards. Sometime during college, I started wondering why it was that I was the one getting a college education, but yet my parents, neither of which ever went to college, seemed to be getting so much smarter while I was away. They could never help me with my chemistry or my calculus. But they were far wiser than any of my professors. It was mind-boggling! They couldn't teach me anything the university taught me. But they taught me something far more valuable....how to fly.

Anyways, while thinking about this in my car, this song came on the radio by Aaron Tippin. I was totally blown away because this song was written about MY father. All the expressions in the song are ones that I grew up hearing daily. So I came home and looked up the song. You can only imagine my shock when I watched the video! It explained how I got to where I am today and how much truth there is in that sign hanging in my office. My father taught me how to fly. And I'm realizing more and more each day that I've gained most of my education while flying. And now I fly in life and no longer need a plane to do so because of how Dad believed.

I've been truly blessed and will forever be grateful for my parents, despite the ignorance of my teen years :)

I leave you today with one of many of my Dad's sage pieces of advice:
"...it's just like flying a plane, honey. Altitude is always dependent upon attitude, both in the plane and in life."