My father was such a massive influence on my life. I mean, he changed my life before I even fell in love with him. He found me in a Children’s Aid home as a toddler, abandoned, physically challenged, and left to feel unloved and unworthy of love, well, until he came into my life. He always told the story of knowing I was his daughter the moment he laid eyes on me. He knew, convincing my adopted mother would be a bit trickier, but he built a relationship with me before bringing her to meet me, showing me pictures, and telling me she would be my Mommy. When he did get her to meet me, I ran on my stubby toddler legs (I was born with one leg longer than the other and was in a brace)right to her and hugged her and called her Mommy. That was it, she was smitten with me, and they adopted me. I would love to say it was cupcakes and sprinkles from there on, but my mother suffered from mental illness breakdowns repeatedly during my life and was hospitalized many times as I was growing up.
“…people would drive from miles around, to sit at the lunch counter with him, order a piece of his house specialty, Lemon Meringue Pie, and listen to him recount stories about people, places and experiences they shared.”
Another reason my father and I were close, I think. He would take me to work with him; he was a serial entrepreneur and had many businesses from restaurants to grocery stores and even a campground. All his businesses were based around relationship building. The skill I thank him for instilling in me at an early age. With our restaurant, people would drive from miles around, to sit at the lunch counter with him, order a piece of his house specialty, Lemon Meringue Pie, and listen to him recount stories about people, places and experiences they shared. I would sit to the side, just soaking in the conversation’s faces, expressions, and tones. Everyone respected him, and so did I. He too was given up as a child, but he had an amazing foster mother that helped him grow into the outstanding man he became.
My father has been gone for over ten years now, and what I wouldn’t give to sit at that lunch counter and have a piece of pie with him and tell him how much I love and respect him. My mother and I had a rocky relationship, and the last few years of my fathers’ life, she wouldn’t let him visit me or me go there. I didn’t get to say goodbye; I didn’t even know he was ill and passed away, until after the event.
Daddy, come sit at the counter; let me tell you what a profound effect you had on my life. Let me say that I admire you for standing firm in your true self and staying positive and a force for good, regardless of the situation you faced. Thank you for teaching me the importance of perseverance and determination. For showing me that being true to yourself and believing in your passions no matter what the world tells you, to allow yourself to live a life that feeds your soul. I have built a career out of all you taught me, and I hope you are proud of the woman I have become.
I will always be proud to be your daughter. Daddy, sit with me and let me show you…
Tacey Atkinson
A Journey to Grateful Contributor
