My Father’s Daughter

Aug 2

“You’re too much like your father!”

I heard that statement from my mother many times when I was growing up. And she never said that to any of my siblings. Oh well.

Also, she only said it when she was annoyed with me. I can’t remember what I would be doing at those particular times, but I can guess that I was either asking too many questions or being very analytical and logical.

My mother had the ability to “go with the flow” – I did not. And neither did my Dad. That wasn’t always easy for my mother, as she could enjoy life without analyzing every little thing like we did.

My father was super smart and worked really hard. He was an aerospace engineer and worked on all of the Apollo missions that eventually resulted in the first man on the moon.

I will always remember the times we went back to visit his father at their farm in Iowa. My father would get up early with my grandfather, put on overalls, and head out to the fields with him for the entire day. We didn’t see them again until after dark.

Both my father and grandfather were fairly quiet.

I suppose my father was “the apple that didn’t fall far from the tree,” and, by the looks of this side-by-side picture, I was the next apple after that.

Years later, it was very difficult for him to deal with Parkinson’s disease, because he could no longer do all the things he used to do.

So it was very sweet when his friend helped him to “mow the lawn.” He was so happy on that day.

I learned so much from my father, and for that I will always be grateful.

And I’m OK being that next “apple.”