For The Coolest Guy I’ll Ever Know

"Best way to clear the air is to have it all out in the open."
- Atticus Finch, by Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

I told my dad the other day finally.  About my DUI.  In case you didn’t know my fellow readers.  I have a DUI under my belt. If you were in a room with Napans....4 out of 5 would have a DUI...Napa loves their residents!! Yes.  I got it almost two years ago, and my life went a little crazy after that. It’s so much better now, and I’ve gotten a hold of it again.  But, what was worse, was that I didn’t want to tell my dad.  For fear of disappointment.  For fear of him being angry, for fear of the unknown.  Because really, who wants their dad to be mad at them. 
So, I told him.  People make mistakes.  I was foolish to think that my dad would think anything different.  I was given bad advice to keep this a secret, literally from HIM and my Step-Mom.  It was hard, because when I wanted to reach out to him, I couldn’t.  Because it was a secret.  His first words back to me were “Secrets can weigh heavy on someone, especially when they think that secret will make the other person mad.”  I was tired of keeping that a secret.  I promised myself last month, while I was away, that I would start talking more when I felt the need to, and to stop holding everything inside.  Because secrets are painful, both emotionally and physically.  A huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders when my dad emailed me back to tell me that it was okay, and that if I needed anything else…I’d just need to let him know. 
So here is to “the coolest guy I’ll ever know”, that’s what he used to tell me that one day I’d think, and I probably scoffed at it and thought yea right.  But, he was right.  How do dads do that?  Predict the future. 
I hope everyone out there had a fantastic Father’s Day, but most of all I hope my dad knows how much I love him, and thank the Heavens everyday that he is…my dad.

Circa December 1982

Father’s Day June 2009