June | 2017 | rfljenksy – Practicing Simplicity

Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad, and that’s why I call you dad, because you are so special to me. You taught me the game and you taught me how to play it right. Wade Boggs

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When I was about 26, I found out the dad I grew up with was not my biological father. Everyone thought I would freak out. They freaked out. Every single person in my family seemed to know this already. Unbeknownst to me, I had so many people trying to solve this 26 year long mystery for me. They spent months trying to get to the bottom of it.

What they did not know is that I WAS shocked. But not in the way they might have realized. I was shocked that everyone in my family had kept a secret for 26 years. My family has never been good at not blathering on about everything, every place and everyone they knew. I WAS freaking out.. but only because I thought it would be so cool to have more siblings. I always wanted to come from a gigantic family. Think Partridge Family or Brady Bunch.. I could start a band or..uh.. travel across the states and get into ridiculous escapades..well maybe not.. but I thought it would be cool.

More than anything I was amazed. Amazed that the dad I grew up with, knew he was not my biological father and wanted to keep that a secret from me in order to avoid hurting me. I never doubted for a second that he loved each of us deeply and without pause and as his own children.

He used to tell me I was his favorite. I had his sense of humor, his walk, his work ethics. I worshipped him. I still do. He was a steady beacon of light on the shore of a wild sea of women. He was dependable, funny, and strong. He was my dad, my papa, the man to whom all other men would need to aspire to win my heart. I love you dad!!