We enjoyed a fabulous vacation to Georgia over the Thanksgiving holiday at the end of 2012. While enjoying our extended family over a robust meal at Stone Mountain, my aunt MC-ed a little game.
As we came into the dining room, we each wrote 3 things for which we were thankful and placed our piece of paper in a basket. We couldn’t put our name on the paper. At the close of the meal, my aunt passed out the sheets, but not to their original owner. We took turns reading the lists aloud. The reader had to guess who the author was. What a fun exercise, especially as we were just getting acquainted for the first time with some folks.
I don’t recall who read the one that said “family, health, choice,” but there was no question in my mind who had written it. If you are reading this and know my family in any way, you also know: it was my dad. After he was revealed, my aunt prompted the next person to read, but I stopped her.
“Wait! I think we want to know what you mean by choice,” I instigated, knowing full well the answer. After all, I was raised in that house (my kids probably could’ve told you the answer too, since they live in my house.”
But my dad, true to form, replied to my aunt’s encouragement, “Sure! Well, choice is a powerful. To have the choice of who to spend your time with, where to go, what books to read. There is power in how you choose to spend your resources: time, money, energy. And so much can come from those choices. I am blessed to have choice and I don’t want to squander it.” Okay, so, I’m probably “embellishing” as my Grandfather Jones would say, but I think it a mere paraphrase. If he didn’t say it that way on Thanksgiving, he used similar words on other days in my child-rearing years.
My aunt appended her brother: “And some people make choices that take away all their choices.” And we all said a hearty, “AMEN!” and heard the next list.
That was November.
It is February 9, 2013.
My dad’s birthday was in January.
For his birthday, I gave him something atypical (for most folks…kind of in the realm of normal for me, but what do you expect from his offspring?).
To learn more about it, you’ll just have to subscribe to the blog and read along the way. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. You’ll definitely laugh. Or question my sanity. Either way, I’m not doing it for you. I’m ecstatic if you come along for the ride; road trips are a more the merrier type of thing.
I’m doing this for me and my dad. Who reminded me not to squander my choice.
(Or, if you’re reading this, Dad, to PYWWYPDGS and get on track. I’m doing this for my sons so they can see the power of PYWWYP. I’m doing this for my daughter because, well, it’s my daughter! I’m doing this for my husband who hears me PYW, but doesn’t have proof that I can WYP. I’m doing this for my mom who GS and dad loves her so much that he wants her to WYP alongside him. I’m doing this for my sister because she wants it as much for me as I do for her. I’m doing this for all of my sister-friends on the innermost of the circles and you know who you are! But mostly, this daddy’s girl heard the love of her daddy and is calling on her Abba Father to help her give the only present that seems worth giving this year. I love you, Dad! Happy Birthday!!)
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