A month of Thanks ~ the most important Veteran I know

Since today is Veteran's Day, I thought it was appropriate to dedicate today's thankful post to the most important Veteran I know... my Dad.

When people asked what my dad did, I proudly said he was in the Air Force. Although I didn’t appreciate it when I was younger, because of his job I was able to experience a part of the world that most people will never see. I lived in a village of people that didn't speak the same language, eat the same foods, or share the same faith, yet I think it gave me a tolerance and acceptance of people I don't know if I would have otherwise. I walked the halls of the Pentagon like I owned the place because “my dad works here.” My dad is also the one who made me “cool” in a new elementary school. On career day, Dad brought his K-9 squad and did a demonstration with the drug dogs. I was seriously the most popular person in the 4^th grade. And he came every year after that. He’s a hero to this country, and he’s a hero to me.

He sat with me at all hours of the night in various emergency rooms when my asthma flared up. When those mini beanie babies you got in McDonald’s happy meals were all the rage, he ate at Mickey D’s for weeks to get those stupid little toys. When I was home sick from school one day he bought me a Grand Champions horse figurine. Just because. When I’m not home and he hears an ambulance drive by, he calls to make sure I’m okay.

He’s the one I called when my band director made me cry in front of everyone in 11^th grade. My dad showed up with mirrored sunglasses, arms crossed, and a scowl and frightened my band director so badly that from that day on when he picked on my friends, their comment was that they were going to “call Melissa’s Dad”.

Dad and I don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things. Okay, most everything. We argue and he drives me up a tree sometimes. But then again, I know I can also bug the living daylights out of him too. That’s the beauty of family. They still love you in spite of your ugly sides.

My dad is the strongest man I’ve ever met. And by strong I mean a strength of character that has both the “tough” side, and yet the side that can cry. He showed me by example the kind of man I hope to marry someday. I’ve grown up with a man who showed affection and respect to his wife and kids. He’s the kind of guy that opens car doors and pulls out chairs. He’s taught me to set my expectations high and to never settle for anything less. My dad is fiercely loyal, and would fight to the death anyone that threatened the people he loves. I know I can call my dad any time for anything. All my life he has taught me right from wrong, yet he gave me a way out for the “wrong” he knew I would inevitably do. On the day I got my driver’s license I remember him sitting me down to talk to me about alcohol. He said that while he hoped I would use common sense, he wasn’t naïve enough to think that I wouldn’t drink. He told me if I ever found myself in a situation where I couldn’t drive, to call him. Day or night and he would come and get me. And that resonated with me. It was the voice in the back of my head, reminding me that even if I did something stupid, Dad was always there to offer a way out.

I’ve made a lot of stupid decisions in my life. I did a lot of really dumb things that make me cringe in embarrassment now when I think back on them. I know that he was disappointed when I quit the swim team in junior high. And when I didn’t practice my clarinet as much as I should have. When I didn’t finish my gold award for Girl Scouts. When I didn’t go to college right away. But the key is that even though he was disappointed in some of my choices, he’s never been disappointed in me. And I know that.

I often wished that I had the desire to join the military. I wanted in some way to honor the commitment my dad had made to his country by following in his footsteps. Not to get into politics and all that "mess", but post-September 11th, I couldn't bring myself to commit to a calling for a government whose policies I didn't agree with. Of course, that doesn't mean that I am not grateful for the men and women that are serving even as I type this. Whose sacrifices allow me the right to express my thoughts. The men and women of the Armed Forces have my utmost respect and admiration. I just wish this mess overseas would end. (Okay, end of soapbox!)

Eventually I realized that I didn't have to honor my dad by being like him. But I can honor him by becoming a woman he's proud to call his daughter. 'Cause I sure am proud to be just that.

So today, while I'm thankful for all the Veterans that have served, and are currently serving... I'm most thankful for the one I call dad.