Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday Dad!

I can’t believe it. You’re still kicking and screaming today just like the day you were born. All the same energy and fight all bottled up inside of you.

Some might consider that a good thing and others may perceive it as a bad thing. But you didn’t get to this age by weighing yourself down with the worries of what people think or judgements about you. You’ve lived your life and they’ve lived theirs.

You’re “real” and you’ve always been your real self. You don’t have much tolerance for fake at any level or within any person. More important to me is that you understand that you’re “real” special to me. I really love you and I’m extremely grateful to have you on my team.

I know we’ve survived some “real” difficult times and situations, but we’ve also been through some really awesome and memorable one’s too. Nothing fake about any of them. As real as mud on a pig’s belly.

Looking back into our lives–no matter how different the paths may be–I reflect on the impact that the you’ve had on mine. You’ve had a “real” impact on my life and I’ve certainly created a few craters on yours as well. I just have that effect on people.

Now, those impacts are a solid representation of how we choose to love the ones we do in our life. When I reflect on what you mean to me and the craters you’ve given me, I feel only love and appreciation for you.

Maybe that’s why they say people leave holes in others hearts? Ones that can’t be filled by anyone else.

The thing about “impacts” is that not many people in your life will leave them and only some are able to go so deep. There’s a certain, special amount of energy that’s even capable of creating them in the first place.

The special ones that have that certain energy leave you with amazing craters to journey and adventure through. You’re always exploring what they’ve left you. Simultaneously, they make you stronger. Stronger in the sense that the next ones to follow can’t have near the impact on you.

That special energy knows just the right size of an impact to leave relative to the size of the mass it’s impacting in order to not destroy the mass or alter is functionality. It simply leaves its’ mark. In doing so, it creates something special, something “real” for others to observe. It’s visible from far away even, like the moon.

I’m happy you’re my Dad and I love you with all my heart. We’ve both kept our “circles” small in life and as a result of that choice, I think we both will only allow certain people to impact us.

We’ve developed a special appreciation for our relationship; where it’s been, where it’s at, and where it’s going. Kind of ironic how a crater is a circle too.

We’re about to come into some “full circle” moments in both our lives, together. I can’t wait for that journey, adventure, or whatever you want to call it; just know it’ll be real and “real” good for us both.

Happy Birthday Dad, I love you and miss you!

Mike

P.S. – Keep on kicking and screaming as long as this world will let you because I need you to do just that and do it as long as you possibly can. I want to live many good years with you once I’m free.