According to Maid Brigade’s 2015 survey about what people look for in role models, “family dedication” was one of the top five favorites among survey takers.
If you are lucky enough (like me) to have a role model that is also a family member, then I am pretty sure you understand the value of having that person in your life. It doesn’t matter how long this special person was in your life, it matters that they have impacted your life for the better.
My father, Bruce, was my also childhood mentor and role model. In fact, he still is to this day. Growing up, I was the closest he had to a son because I was the most athletic of my three sisters. Every day after work, he would come home and play catch with me. We would throw the softball to each other in the street for hours. He taught me how to pitch, bat, and run, and I enjoyed every precious moment of it.
I remember making the basketball team and the track team in elementary and high school. My father never missed a game. Even when he had to work late, he would do his absolute best to get there before each game ended. Nothing made me feel happier than seeing him walking through those big gymnasium doors and waving to me.
My father taught me many things in life. When my father was twelve years old, HIS father dropped dead right in front of him. My dad was completely devastated. He grew up and learned the hard things in life alone. He was a financial wiz and taught me everything he could about business, economics, and working on “top secret” projects for the government. Sometimes during those late night hours, I would help my dad re-sand and re-paint the boat, so when summertime came, the boat would be ready! During the summer season, my family would travel from beach to beach, and my mom and dad would teach us everything they knew about boating, clamming, crabbing, water skiing, surfing, and cooking on the grill.
My father dedicated his life to his wife and family. He was the best at trying to keep a balance between work time and family time, and never missed a chance to make sure we joked and smiled along the way. I am so grateful for the sacrifices that my dad made for my sisters and I, and now, for my own kids. He taught me so many lessons in life, some I still use to this day. He is supportive, loving, understanding, and patient. And, although he lives 3000 miles away, he has become a role model for my children too.
When it comes to family dedication, I couldn’t have asked for a better role model to look up to!
