Remembering My Father-Tell Me About Yours! [VIDEO]

The best of them are our protectors and champions.

They're often wise, sometimes playful, always encouraging, and enormously proud of their children.

I lost my beloved father in December of 2002.

It was, of course, the saddest Christmas I'd ever known. In fact, I went into a deep depression that lasted years after losing my dad.

My father was a tall East Texan who left the south at the tender age of 17 but never lost that soft southern drawl.

He was a military man (Air Force), but a man who said "all war is evil".

He was a guy with a gift for understanding economics and politics (best not to challenge him in those areas! haha).

My father was a talented athlete (he was a minor league pitcher when he was in his 20's), but he never once held it against me that I'm sports-challenged.

Athletic? Yes indeed.

But good with fixing things? Not so much.

Cursing and muttering while trying to replace a doorknob as springs were bouncing out and hitting his face as his glasses were falling off?  Yep.

My sister and me had to stifle our giggles for fear of offending.

My father was a philosophical thinker and used to ponder the nature of the Universe.  He had a particular fascination with the concept of time.  He'd often say, "time doesn't really exist."

However, he was in strict observance to time and was never late to anything (military training).

One of the things I loved most about my father was his ability to laugh until he was in tears, howling out loud, slapping his knee, and generally surrendering completely to hysterical fits.

I also adored his tender heart. He was very sympathetic towards animals (which clearly I inherited).

Although he grew up on a farm, he never liked the killing of any animal.  He used to tell me that growing up his family always treated their livestock with kindness.

The cruelties of our factory farming system today would be beyond their comprehension and would be strictly rejected.

And I loved his deep spirituality.

He never preached, but he loved God and was humbled by any discussion of The Creator, angels, etc.

I see him in dreams and visions and I feel his presence watching over me.

I miss him beyond words and so wish I could visit him on Father's Day, bring him a gift, see his twinkling eyes again, give him a big hug and kiss, and thank him for all he did for me for all the precious years I had him with me here on earth.

Oh, how I wish he was only a phone call away.

Now, it's your turn.

As Father's Day approaches and we pause to honor fathers everywhere, tell me about your dad!

Whether he's still on the planet or has crossed over, what do you (or did you) love most about him?