Thursday, June 5, 2008

Ladybug.

I grew up on a farm in a small town. My dad is a farmer, he is now retired. My dad has the biggest hands you have ever seen. He is very social, and makes new friends wherever he goes. He once met a sweet couple at a coffee shop, and invited them back to our house for a visit. He couldn't understand why mom wasn't pleased. In the summer he makes trades from his garden with the local merchants for milk, bread and eggs. When I was 18 Canadian music legend Ronnie Hawkins was at our house to look at one of my dad's 1967 Chargers (for a period of time he collected them). Ronnie ended up at the kitchen table for a two hour visit. My dad worked hard his entire life, and even though he is now officially "retired" he has a full time job selling miscilaneous seed, because he likes to be out and about, talking to people. On the hottest, most awful days in the field when a truck would pull up dad would say: "Smile, everybody...". Dad wakes up every day happy, just because. Always has, and I hope he always will. He gets really embarrassed if you say: "I love you", and he won't say it back... but he hugs so tight it almost hurts. 

He doesn't like the city, or being in other peoples houses, so when they come for a visit he often leaves and goes for a drive. On one visit we went to a small town to look in some shops. My sister and I saw some ornamental ladybugs, and we fell in love with them. We left the store and continued on our way when out of nowhere dad presented us each with a tissue-wrapped surprise. He had bought us each a ladybug when we weren't looking. I keep that ladybug beside my bed, it is the first thing I see each morning. It reminds me to wake up every day happy, just because.


jbxo

6 comments:

Elise said...

Your dad sounds like such a giving man who knows all about the benefits of showing a little (or in his case a lot of) hospitality.

I love that you still have the ladybug by your bed and what it symbolises.


Love
Elise

Little Sweethearts said...

Oh that's so sweet!

I love your phrase "Wake up happy, just because". Each new day deserves a fresh start, no dwelling on the past, just happy memories.

Love,
Tania

Jen @ Live Fit Live Well said...

There should be more people in our lives like your dad. He truly 'gets' life...it is what we make of it.

It is a wonderful thing that you appreciate and understand his endearing ways.

Always keep those close :)

Jen

Clippy Mat said...

he is a very sweet guy. :-))
and so hospitable. one of a kind.

Anonymous said...

ah...how sweet...tear tear...

Emma-Kate Castricum said...

What a gorgeous post, your Dad sound like an exact mix of my dad and my husband! A lovely Man.