Fathers Day
Happy Fathers Day to all the Fathers of the world!
Each year, we recognize the person who made a decision in their life to lead by example and influence the next generation in a first-hand way. It is easy to forget the contributions that Dad makes throughout your life because a lot of the time, Dad takes a back seat to you and what is important to you. It is the supporting role that Dad plays that allows you to be who you are, to think the way you do, and to be the person you want to be.
Not all of us are able to spend today with Dad. Whether you live too far away, Dad is no longer with us, or Dad decided that maybe leading was not his forte, today is still a day to say “Thank You.” For those of you who do not have Dad with you today, I want to share my Dad with you.
Dad, in a very unassuming and quiet way, has been the guiding force to my direction in life. For a long time, I did not know that. Dad provided unconditional support to me and my siblings as we grew up, sacrificing his desires and wants so we could achieve our dreams. He taught us there is a transition from dreams to achievements, as well as the planning needed to make the achievements happen. And all along the way, Dad has continued to provide support in every way, for his entire family, so all of us can understand who we are as individuals and our place in society that allows us to give back. I can sum all this up in a simple story.
When I was about 7, Dad and I were in the backyard throwing a baseball when his pager went off, summoning him to the LaGuardia Airport Control Tower to find and fix a problem in the computers. Dad, without missing a beat when he saw my disappointment that our Saturday fun could not continue, asked me to go along with him to the airport. I could not jump in Dad’s VW Beetle fast enough. Once inside the airport, he left me with a gate attendant he knew and went to fix the computers. It was a different time then, and the day ended up being one of the most impactful days of my life. I watched passengers disembark from planes, fantasizing about where they may have come from and what they did that brought them to New York. I watched huge and heavy machines take off and land effortlessly, not knowing the science behind the enormous effort each craft needs to complete the task. And I was asked by a pilot if I wanted to sit in the Captain’s chair of plane that was parked at the gate. For a 7-year old, what a day! To this day, I can’t drive by an airport without looking up in the sky and remembering what I experienced that day. And I have Dad to thank for trusting me to behave, providing the invitation, allowing me the freedom and opportunity to spread my wings that day and for days after. Dad has been my grounds crew, my flight attendant, my passenger, my gate attendant, and sometimes the air traffic controller. But most of all he has been my de facto Co-Pilot, having my back when needed and providing the information and resources I have needed to be a great pilot.
Happy Fathers Day Dad! And thanks for everything you have ever done for me to allow me to succeed!
One Last Plug
5PM today is the deadline to purchase your discounted golf lesson or golf coaching program for Dad, as well as enter the drawing for a Free Golf Coaching Session. Use the Promo Code “DAD” when you purchase, and/or enter your name and email address to be eligible to win the coaching session.