Wednesday, December 12, 2007
My Dad,
A man who always knew best, at least in his mind so I'd say when I was young. My brother and sisters might agree! Relentlessly stubborn and impatient too, it was his way or the highway! How could this be a good thing I'd wonder?
It became clear Dad was right as the years went by and then we created our own families! I'm very proud to say I see a lot of him in me, in my brother and sisters too!
A man who at times used an unwavering facade of sternness to hide his loving, good intentions and tender soft spots to ensure we were brought up the right way, his way! Now I can say it was a good thing he did! My hope is for my kids to recognize the same sooner than I!
A man who endured much as a child, as a young man fighting on the shores of Omaha Beach and later stubbornly fighting heart disease and other issues, not to mention the challenges we threw at him. I wonder now which was worse for him!
A man who would help anyone whenever the need arose. A man of no enemies and countless friends.
Stubborn yes, even at 83 he used that trait well. Working out for hours to regain his strength. Even on his last day, it was the last thing he did. He sure had a zest for life!
An impatient man, yes many will agree. Even that oddly had its benefits like many can attest who ever accompanied him to a slow paced restuarant! You could always count on Dad to get them moving.
Impatient yes and knowing him, he just had to get to where he could be happy and of course, get there fast!
To steal a line from one of his favorites, Frank Sinatra, a man who can certainly say And in the end, I did it my way!
A man with a heart of gold and smile just as big, he was truly one of a kind!
After all, how many Pasquales' do you know?
This great man will live on with me forever, this man is my Dad!
