Dear Dad,
Today you have accomplished something so spectacular. You are a college graduate.
I have enjoyed the reversal roles we have played these past two years — you coming to me for advice or help. It has been an honor helping you finish something you began close to 30 years ago.
Leaving behind your partying days swinging from chandeliers (hehe), among other things, you became a husband and provider. But most importantly, you became a father. And as a father, you shine most bright.
In fourth grade, during the Gulf War, my teacher asked each of us to share what our daddy’s did for a living, as some of our classmates had fathers who were in the army. When it was my turn, I proudly said, “My dad makes diapers!”
If there was laughing or teasing, I do not remember. I was as proud of you then, as I am today. Why? Because no matter where my daddy worked by day or night, he was always there for me. He cooked and cleaned up after me. He coached my softball teams. He went to church with us. He snuggled with me. He was at the dinner table every night. And he desperately tried to help me with my math homework. I always knew you were the smartest of them all. Your eagerness to learn and do new things rubbed off on me.
So when you decided to go back to school shortly after I got my degree, I was excited and nervous for you. I knew how college these days might be a little different than what you remembered with all the group projects and presentations — no matter the major. And selfishly, I didn’t want you to be the one nobody picked. If I could have, I would have walked you to school everyday. But you held your own, and after a brief pep talk by Dana and I at a Culver’s dinner one night, you were on your way.
The stories of your latest college days have been some of the highlights of conversations with friends, co-workers and family. I’ll never forget the day you called me at work to tell me how you ruined your new khaki pants after taking a spill on the sidewalk at school. The image of you ‘bouncing’ on your belly and your backpack flying over your head will never leave me. I laugh now as I write this. I remember stopping you mid-story to say, “Do they really call you Mr. Weyenberg?” I found that so funny! Then I remember saying that they probably thought you were having a heart attack. Nope, it was just clumsy dad stepping off the side of the sidewalk wrong. Good thing you gave your presentation before ruining your new pants.
Since that time, there have been many spills on the Wisconsin ice. I had suggested that you arm yourself with padding. The running joke soon became, “When will Dean fall this semester?” And as soon as you reported to everyone that you had been lucky so far, you fell on your ass. Must have forgot to knock on some wood….
And if we didn’t have mom calling us to say that she had gotten another “A” in her class, we heard from you that your test scores were so high that the professor couldn’t do a good grade curve — much to the discourage of your fellow classmates. You’re too smart for your own good dad.
Your research papers and presentations became your discouragement. But I think you got the hang of it, and I just became your editor. Your dislike of all things grammar was funny to me, as it has always been my strength. Here I was helping you with that, as you were helping me long ago with math.
My favorite quote from you was:
“I can’t just bullshit my way through a paper like you can. You’re good at that.” — thanks dad
Or in an email with a paper to edit:
“Look over spelling, wording and grammar crap. I need by tomorrow morning 8 a.m. class. Love you, Dad” — love you too dad
I do not recall a day when a college education wasn’t encouraged. The day I graduated college was one of my greatest achievements, as you know the first two years were difficult for me. But you were always there to encourage me, rather than discourage me. At times when I thought it was the end of the world, you put me back in focus.
In less than two months you will turn 50 — a milestone for a lot of people. And here you are a successful college graduate at last, with a beautiful, smart wife and three smart, good-looking kids (yes, that includes you too Erik)!
Can it get any better than this?
Love your PROUD daughter,
Michelle
Stay tuned for a note to mom...who is also a graduate!
No comments:
Post a Comment