"Dad"

I would like to spend time today remembering my father. Ten years ago today my Dad passed away and a day doesn't go by that I don't think about him. My Dad was the youngest of three brothers , born in 1925 of immigrant parents from Sicily. Even though he was the youngest my Dad seemed as if he was the eldest brother , as he assumed the caretaker roll in the family. My grandmother , Nona , lived with us as did my great-uncle Salvatore. As the oldest of seven children I spent alot of time with Dad . My Dad and I were the only early risers in the family , we would wake up on Saturday mornings have some coffee and after a while my Dad would inevitably say, "Nobody else around here is getting up let's go for breakfast!". I remember countless breakfasts with Dad as some of the best times of my life. We would talk about life in general , growing up in the "Great Depression" , being Italian , or how a man should act. After breakfast we would hit discount stores and look at fishing equipment , or army surplus clothing.It's funny the things you miss as you get older , I'd trade a Bears Super Bowl for one more breakfast with Dad. He never complained and was always good and kind to everyone. He held down two jobs for many years , denying himself so his children would never know want of anything . Not that we were spoiled , we all knew how hard Dad worked , he would often come home and fall asleep in the bath tub from exhaustion. Whenever we went anywhere everyone wanted to be around him , he had a quick smile and an amazing sense of humor. When he looked at my mother you could almost touch the love he felt for her. In over fifty years of marriage I never heard a cross word exchanged between them. My Dad wasn't much for shedding tears , the only time I saw tears in my Dad's eyes was when my uncle Sammy , my Grandmother , and my brother Bill died. He was the strongest person I've ever known , we always knew we could count on Dad no matter how bad a situation appeared. His children were his pride and joy , he always seemed happiest when surrounded by his family. As we got older and produced grand-children he was really in his glory. My daughter still talks about times she spent with "Gramma and Grampa" with a light in her eyes and a smile on on her face. I wish I could tell him today how important he has been in my life , anything I learned about being a man I learned from him.Of the many blessings I've had in my life I count my Dad as one of the greatest.I could probably go on and on about Dad and his impact on, not only my life, but, the lives of all those he touched. I hope by this small tribute those who read this can remember some fond memories of their parents and treasure them. Have a great day,I will because I took time to remember Dad.