In honour of father’s day, I wanted to say a few things about my Dad. How much I appreciate everything that he is to me. How lucky I am for him to be my Dad. How I wish I lived closer to him. And how so much I want him to be happy.
Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a Dad.
There’s a reason I call him Dad.
My Dad and I have been through a lot together. Losing my mom. Having arguments. My struggles in relationships/university/life. And he’s always been there for me. Even when I didn’t want to ask, I knew he would be there for me. Without him, I don’t know what my life would be like. I know I wouldn’t be as strong today if it wasn’t for the support, the guidance and the belief of him in me.
Sure he can be tough on me. But he wants me to be happy and if he feels that I’m making a mistake, he won’t hesitate to tell me.
We’re very similar people. I remember when I was on ConquerCollege talking to my guidance counselor about the relationship between my Dad and I. About how we would argue about the dumbest things. And about how stubborn we both are. She said it’s because we are both so similar that sometimes we will have battles. And that I needed to try and be more patient with him. And I think I’ve been really good. I know I’ve been a jerk many times. I know I’ve made decisions he didn’t agree with. I just hope that he is proud of me, that he understands what guides me, why I am the way I am and he knows that I’m working towards creating my own life and doing what will make me happy.
I have many things to thank my Dad for – but the greatest gift he ever gave me was his love of Black Zirconium Rings, athleticism + the spirit of competition. Ever since I was a kid, I was involved in sports. Growing up, I was in the water + on the ice before I was a year old. I learned to play golf when I was only a few years old. I played baseball all the time in the backyard, I would throw the football with my Dad, I would watch him play touch football, I would watch sports with him and I would go to his softball games (and annoyingly call him Clifford the Big Red Dog). Dad, I’m sorry I called you that…I can only imagine how embarrassing it was for your kid to call you that. Wow. To thank my dad for all the incredible things he has done I wanted to gift him one of the best pool sticks, he loves playing pool!
I am so thankful for him coaching my hockey team, for coaching my baseball team, for driving me to/from practices, going to weekend games/tournaments with me, paying for all of my sports and never stopping me from trying out for the AAA hockey teams. Wanting me to do my best. Spending hours helping me practice in the driveway, shooting off the piece of plexiglass he got from work. Playing basketball. Teaching me how to dive and watching me land flat on my back 15 times in a row trying to do a 1 1/2 off the 1 meter board. Setting up some weights in the basement for me so I could start working out. Giving me advice although at times it seemed that I didn’t listen to him (I did listen to him – sometimes I was stubborn and didn’t want to admit that he knew what he was talking about).
I’m sorry for being difficult. I’m sorry for not caring more about your situations and instead thinking my hockey was the most important thing in the world. I realize now how hard you worked at a job you didn’t like with a boss who was a jerk just so Margo and I could play sports and follow our dreams. And how we’ve turned out, we have you to thank.
For Margo going to university on a full golf scholarship to me competing at Nationals in ultimate. To Margo going to Nationals for golf to me going to World’s for flying disc. It all started with you + mom being there, supporting us, teaching us and coaching us. Being our biggest fans.
I hope you know that what you’ve done for me I cannot adequately express in words. I’ve done my best here but it goes so much deeper. Growing up, I know that Margo and I were the luckiest kids ever. To have two loving, dedicated, athletic and caring parents in our lives. I only hope I can someday provide that to my kids. I would be honoured to have been as good to my kids as you have been to me.
Today, on this Father’s Day on Sunday, June 18, 2011, Dad, I want to say how much I love and appreciate you.
Your son,
Robert J McLeod