The Perfect Gift!
So, it is official, I have an amazing wife!! Not that I didn't already know that, but for my first Father's day, she and Carter made me a personalized poster! As you can see in the picture above, it is just something simple made with a poster board and some thoughtful finger painting. I am such a fan of simple gifts that don't cost much. This poster will certainly be framed soon and kept forever. :) Blythe, Thank you for my perfect gift! This poster will always be how I remember my first Father's Day!
For Dad
To celebrate my dad on this Father's Day, we all went to Landry's Restaurant in Kemah, TX. As I posted in my last blog, this was a very exciting weekend because of my cousin's wedding, and also because I got to spend time with both of my brothers. These times that we can all be together have become very rare for us over the last several years with getting older and going to college. Now, with all three of us married, getting together on a consistent basis has become very difficult.
Although, as exciting as it is for us brothers just to get to spend time together, the real excitement of the day was centered around celebrating our "paterfamilias." (To quote the movie, Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?)
There is, absolutely, no chance that my brothers and I could be the men that we are without the example that we were able to grow up following. As boys, we had the opportunity to watch dad and how he handled almost every situation. Dad has always worked hard as a doctor to provide for our family, even beyond what we needed. We got to spend quite a bit of time with dad while doing anything involved with baseball. Whether it was a lazy day during the summer that dad just wanted to take us to hit some balls around our little league field, playing catch in our front yard, or taking us to see the Houston Astros play at the Astrodome or, what is now, Minute Maid Park, these opportunities always provided us with the opportunity to spend time with dad. There are so many life lessons that my brothers and I learned on or around a baseball field.
I consider myself especially thankful to have a dad that has always been supportive and encouraged me to always do my best at everything I do. The only thing my dad every let me give up on was basketball. . .and that is because I was terrible!! I remember talking to my dad when I was 10, saying that I wanted to quit baseball. My feelings were hurt because I did not make the little league all-star team. My dad found a way to use it as motivation for me to get better to try to make the team the next year. Sure enough, I ended up making the team when I was 11. Then, in high school, the same thing happened with the high school baseball team. When I didn't make the team my sophomore year, my dad gave me the same speech about using it as motivation to work harder and get better so that I could make the team for my junior year. I ended up making the team the next year!
However, the best example of my dad's constant support for me (and really my mother, too) is displayed in what I do for a living. I started playing the piano when I was 11 years old. As I started to learn easy songs on the piano, my dad would come home from work and ask me to play a new song for him. He never asked in a way that I felt like I had to play, but rather, he asked me in a way that always encouraged me to be able to play a new song for him every day when he got home. I never realized that this would help me in my future career choice. I am convinced that doing this because of my dad's kind words helped me practice my sight reading skills on the piano when I didn't even realize it which ended up being a skill that I will use my entire life. Every day after school, all I could think was that I couldn't wait to get home and learn a new song for dad. I'll never forget the day that he opened a book to the song How are Things in Glocca Mora and said, "If you learn to play this song, I'll be your dad forever." Of course he was kidding. But dad, I now how to play How are Things in Glocca Mora. :) Every night I spend in rehearsals, or playing a performance, I know how lucky I am because I have two parents that have never discouraged me from doing what I do. In this business, I have so many close friends that tell stories of their parents telling them that they needed to "Do something that had more earning potential for a career." My mom and dad have never been anything but supportive by telling me that if I want to be a pianist and music director, I should always try to be the best pianist and music director that I can be. For that, I will always be thankful.
So, although this may be a few days late, I hope you can all understand that I am so thankful for my dad and the example that he has been for me through my entire life. I've always told my wife, Blythe, that, "If I can end up being HALF the man my dad is, I'd say that I've done very well, and better than most."
Dad, I love you, and will forever be proud to call you "My Dad."
I consider myself especially thankful to have a dad that has always been supportive and encouraged me to always do my best at everything I do. The only thing my dad every let me give up on was basketball. . .and that is because I was terrible!! I remember talking to my dad when I was 10, saying that I wanted to quit baseball. My feelings were hurt because I did not make the little league all-star team. My dad found a way to use it as motivation for me to get better to try to make the team the next year. Sure enough, I ended up making the team when I was 11. Then, in high school, the same thing happened with the high school baseball team. When I didn't make the team my sophomore year, my dad gave me the same speech about using it as motivation to work harder and get better so that I could make the team for my junior year. I ended up making the team the next year!
However, the best example of my dad's constant support for me (and really my mother, too) is displayed in what I do for a living. I started playing the piano when I was 11 years old. As I started to learn easy songs on the piano, my dad would come home from work and ask me to play a new song for him. He never asked in a way that I felt like I had to play, but rather, he asked me in a way that always encouraged me to be able to play a new song for him every day when he got home. I never realized that this would help me in my future career choice. I am convinced that doing this because of my dad's kind words helped me practice my sight reading skills on the piano when I didn't even realize it which ended up being a skill that I will use my entire life. Every day after school, all I could think was that I couldn't wait to get home and learn a new song for dad. I'll never forget the day that he opened a book to the song How are Things in Glocca Mora and said, "If you learn to play this song, I'll be your dad forever." Of course he was kidding. But dad, I now how to play How are Things in Glocca Mora. :) Every night I spend in rehearsals, or playing a performance, I know how lucky I am because I have two parents that have never discouraged me from doing what I do. In this business, I have so many close friends that tell stories of their parents telling them that they needed to "Do something that had more earning potential for a career." My mom and dad have never been anything but supportive by telling me that if I want to be a pianist and music director, I should always try to be the best pianist and music director that I can be. For that, I will always be thankful.
So, although this may be a few days late, I hope you can all understand that I am so thankful for my dad and the example that he has been for me through my entire life. I've always told my wife, Blythe, that, "If I can end up being HALF the man my dad is, I'd say that I've done very well, and better than most."
Dad, I love you, and will forever be proud to call you "My Dad."
Luke, what a great tribute to your father! I always enjoyed my visits to his office, because he loved talking about you guys. How blessed all of you are. We would definitely come to the show if we were still in the area. What an amazing career you have in front of you! Good luck and God bless.
ReplyDeleteKerry McGrew