Happy Father’s Day

As Father’s day approaches I want to salute Fathers everywhere.

I want to bless and honor the memory of my Dad whose picture introduces this post. This year marks the 10th anniversary of his death, and he was my hero and my best friend. He was a devoted husband and father. A life long educator in the Detroit Public Schools, he was fluent in three languages. I am blessed to inherit his love and appreciation of the arts, culture, and music. He could sit and talk about anything from Beethoven to Beyonce. He was a lover of books, reading and writing. If he’d been old enough, and lived in New York during the Harlem Renaissance, they would have welcomed him with open arms. He was Gordon Parks and Langston Hughes. Ossie Davis, and Richard Wright. Harry Belafonte and Walter White. During an era when so many minds were closed, he was already a global thinker.

He was an avid skier, painter, sculptor, pianist, photographer, tennis player, there weren’t many things he couldn’t do. He loved his family and liked nothing better than to have tons of people over for parties. Whenever I entertain, I feel I’m honoring his memory. In spite of his brilliance, he was a little suspicious when it came to technology. I bought him his first cell phone, and even though he used it, I don’t think he ever really trusted it. He’d probably be so puzzled and faint at the amount of music stored on an iPod. But he was fascinated by his digital camera. He was never done learning.

I miss him terribly, but I feel he’s always with me, whenever I hear a sweet piece of music, or watch Alvin Ailey, or go for a walk, or read anything, or use my camera, or just sit quietly having a peaceful conversation with someone, he’s there with me in spirit. The vintage typewriter that introduces this blog is mine, and lives at my house on a shelf. Its a replica of a typewriter that my father had, that I used to play on as a child. I searched vintage stores until I found just the right one. I keep my bookcases overflowing and my mind and heart open to always remind me of him. His generous spirit lives in me.

Happy Father’s Day Dad