And also, I have a bit of a father's day story of my own to go along with it.
I didn't broadcast this before but on the night of Chelsea and Brendan's wedding, after I had taken my last shots and I was leaving, I ended up getting a flat tire on probably one of the most deserted country roads that might be. Because I'm a take charge type, I don't flinch at things like flat tires so I immediately pulled over, jumped out of the car and began to change out the flat myself - just the way my dad taught me how(!) - with only the light of the moon and the screen of my blackberry to help me see in the dark. Even when it started to pour down rain, I kept at it because I knew it would only take me a couple of minutes to just finish and be back in the car for the hours of driving I had ahead of me. When I got to the last lug nut I hit a wall. The nut was just about completely stripped (cheap scrap metal nuts!!) and the tire iron I had wasn't coming even close to being able to get it off the bolt. The only thing that would get it off would be pliers at this point.
In the midst of me figuring out what my options were, I tried to flag down the few cars that were traveling the road I was pulled over on. Each one stopped but didn't have any assistance to offer me in the way that I really needed. It continued to rain and despite the fact that I could have gotten very mad and discouraged, I didn't. Number one: I'm not the type who gets easily mad or discouraged AT ALL and number two: I've always been taught (by my dad, no less) to always be prepared and aware of the resources you do have even before you need to employ them.
As it happened, Chelsea's dad, Larry, ended up pulling over to assist me. He determined the same thing I did - I had a VERY stripped cheap scrap metal lug nut that just wasn't coming off even with brute force and I needed some decent pliers instead of the tire iron. He, being the man of slightly greater and more immediate resources than I, called in some help in the way of a very experienced wedding guest who was an Eagle scout. Fifteen minutes later, the lug nut was off, the spare was put on, and I was adhering to the 50 mph/50 miles to go in the direction of home.
Y'know? Even though I was there getting things done and working things out, I cannot tell you how good it felt being in the situation that was completely under control from the beginning. Yeah, I'm a real can-do type but ultimately? I know that the situation worked out the way it did because of the dads - my dad and Chelsea's dad, Larry. Had my dad never taken all the time to patiently teach me how to change flat tires "just in case," I would have easily freaked out standing there in the dark on that country road while the rain just poured down on me. And had Chelsea's dad Larry never pulled over? Well, I suppose I could have been OK but really? It was just so nice to have him there being the dad he is and in the way I know my dad would have been as well in just that situation. If you ask me, dads are the greatest. And I thank God every day for a heavenly father who knew from the beginning what an essential blessing they are in this life.
Happy Father's day, to YOU! Hope you're spending the day celebrating not just your dad, but ALL of the dads out there who are nothing less than awesome.
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