My Father

My father is one of the few men (outside of the military) that I truly respect and look at as a Man of Honor. He was tough, sometimes violent, sometimes quick to discipline, had a harsh temper, gruff and was a man of few words and little emotions. He is also my hero.

My father taught me most of what I know today on how to be a man. Sometimes he taught me directly. Other times he taught me through "I'll never do THAT, the way that he did". Like most men, my father had his faults. He was far from perfect. But he is still a hero in my eyes.

He's an ex-Marine. He served in the Corps as a radioman during the early 1960s. He also spent thirty-five years as a career firefighter. He dedicated his life to helping others and to his family. He wasn't the overly affectionate type of man who held hands, gave praise freely or showed too much emotion.

But he did all he could to support his family. I can remember him working 2 jobs most of his life, sometimes 3. He always made sure that we had food on our table and we had what we needed, no matter what. He taught me dedication, service and loyalty. He would literally work until his fingers bled to support his family.

The only time since I was 16 that my father ever showed emotion toward me was when I was in the military. Before my first deployment, he simply patted my shoulder and said "keep your helmet on, your head low and dodge bullets. The only thing that a Purple Heart says is that you forgot to duck." Most would not understand that if you didn't know my father. But his eyes said alot more than his words. That was the most touching moment I can ever remember sharing with my father.

So yeah, my father is my hero. We all need heroes, else we won't have anything to look up to or aspire to.