Dan’s Thanksgiving

There is a lot in life to be thankful for. I have had some times in my life where I thought things couldn’t be worse, but looking back it really wasn’t that bad. There is always someone on this planet having a more difficult day than you or me. This year was my son’s first Thanksgiving and it was amazing to see him walking and just being happy, playing with other children without a care in the world. I wish the world could take a closer look at children and see the goodness in their hearts, because we need more of that. This day was also hard, for my father was not with us and I know that he would have been a great grandpa, as he was always so kind and caring.

He was born in Wisconsin in the late 1940’s where he grew up on a farm. His mother came out to California chasing a dream and his father also came out for the ride. During the ride his mother and father left him homeless at the age 12. He stayed with a person I know, called my uncle Dan, along with his mother and father. My father stayed with them until the age of 15 or 16. He worked a full time job while attending high school. After graduation he went on to college and completed two years thre. Then the draft happened and he went off to serve in the Vietnam War.

The military experience changed him. He was married to his first wife and she cheated on him while he was overseas fighting, so that didn’t last, yet they did have one child in their years together. After the war was over my father came back to the States, where the American people treated the service members horribly. It was a terrible time for the Vietnam vets.  He drank and partied and got in bar fights.

 

He was a big guy at 6’5” and 280lbs, a former Sea Bee. He just wanted to see who could take him down. Luckily that never happened and he met my mother. They met in a bar and also got into bar fights with other people. How romantic (lol). But they were together for 14 years before they had kids. Then they adopted my brother and then came along my sister. I was the “oops” baby.

But things seemed to be on the up and up, that was until my mother left – I was 6 months old at the time. She took all the stuff in the house and left my father and us bankrupt. What a nice lady… But my dad always stayed positive and kept us all going, including himself, and you know what – my sister, brother and I made it. He worked long hours and he was my father and my mother and he did the best job ever.

I thank him everyday for giving me a great life. Yes, we didn’t always have new stuff or the greatest things, but we had family and love and that is all you need. I am so thankful for him and what he taught me. Be strong. Be proud of your name that is the only one you have. Be caring. Be kind and help others out. Use your brain that is why you have one. Think things through. Learn about your needs and your wants. Real men cry, it doesn’t hurt you to get it out of your system. There is so much more, but I will always be thankful for my father.

 

Dan H signing out…