My dad was the strong and silent type. He had no patience for ignorance and he hated silliness. I can’t count the times that he was able to quickly shut down a case of the giggles that sometimes randomly came over my mother and me. He did not hesitate to speak his mind even when filtering his words would benefit everyone, including himself. His words could sometimes cut to the bone and he seemed to be unable to see how those words could hurt. He was determined, stubborn, and had tunnel vision when it came to his thoughts on a particular subject. Trying to change his mind was an exercise in futility, but repeatedly I tried. Repeatedly I failed. He had a tendency to be self-centered and seemed to have a hard time considering the feelings of others. He was, however, very reliable, determined, and willing to help. He was surprisingly creative with a sarcastic nature. He was here.

BUT, because he was strong he was also a stable force during times of grief. Because he was often silent, you had time to gather your own thoughts when you were around him. He wasn’t uncomfortable with quiet and didn’t feel the need to fill it with useless ramblings. Because he spoke his mind you always knew where you stood with him. Because he didn’t filter his words I have learned the importance of filtering mine. Because of his stubbornness and determination he was able to find the solution to a problem, to fix that problem long after others would have given up, and pass that quality along to his daughter. Because of his inability to be flexible I have had to address that quality in myself and learn ways to overcome it. Because of his willingness to help we were blessed in countless ways around our house. It was not uncommon to see him on our roof, under the hood of one of our cars, or helping to rebuild campers, often with parts that he made himself. Because of the creative aspect of his personality, I became a person who is able to think outside of the box, come back with a snarky remark when necessary, and enjoy dry humor. Finally, because he is no longer here I realize that I will miss him every day.

This is posted for the WordPress Daily Prompt.