A Salute to Dad Rote

He taught me how to tie my shoes.

How to work with a positive mindset.

How to embrace excellence in my work ethic.

How to run.

How to ride a bike.

How to throw a football.

How to keep my head up through adversity.

How to be humble.

How to do mental math.

How to play pretty much every sport I ever learned how to play.

How to cast a fishing line.

How to take a joke.

He taught me a lot of things that require instruction. He,  being my dad. Dad's teach us a ton of really important life skills in life, like the ones I mentioned above. But I want to call my Dad out. Not for something bad though. Usually, when someone calls someone else out, it's for a transgression.Today, it's for exemplary behavior. While my father taught me many good things, it's what he showed me that's more important. He showed me how to be a man.

Many times, when you read about fathers and sons, you hear about a father teaching his son how to be a man. Like it's a step by step process.  But I don't think that's how it works. Or how it's supposed to at least. The best Dad's, the ones like mine, show how to be a man. They don't point to where the path of manhood is, and instruct their sons to walk along that path. They walk the path of manhood themselves, and ask their sons to follow.  That's what dad did for me.

He tied his shoes, and showed me how to do the same.

He worked beside me, and showed me how to stay positive in the middle of a job.

He performed excellently in everything he did, and gave me the tools to do the same if I chose to.

He ran, and asked me to follow him.

He threw a football, and showed me how to do the same.

He experienced adversity, and became my example for how to survive it.

Showed me active humility.

Did insane amounts of multiplication tables in his head, and demanded I do the same. I hated him for it then, but LOVE him for it now, and my employers, past and present are, at the very least, subconsciously grateful to him for my skills and many other things.

Point is, my dad is a hero to me. Not some superhero, superman character, either.


He's the kind of man I want to grow up to be. Smart, knowledgeable, wise, proficient in mathematical skills, kind to a fault, and most of all, faithful to his family and loved ones.

I know I don't show it often enough, but if I grew up and turned out exactly like my Dad, I wouldn't be disappointed, because he's a pretty swell guy.

Dad, if you are reading this, I love you. Happy father's day. I can't thank you enough for being such a great role model. I wish I could give you more than this silly post, but 'till I make my million's, or at least my thousands, this will have to do.