Rant #1,227: Dad

This particular Rant will be short and sweet, because I have an eye exam today, and I really want to rest my eyes as much as I can before I take this thing.

It is a wasted day for me, as the solution they put in my eyes hampers my vision basically for the entire day. I can't go to work because, quite frankly, I can't see.

Anyway, Father's Day, the holiest day of the year--I got that from my father, by the way--is on Sunday.

I want to salute the dads that were so important in my life, including my two grandfathers and my dad.

All of them were strong men with strong values. Yes, my grandfathers are gone, but my father is still here, still works, and still is a vital member of our society.

My grandfathers were as different as night and day. My father's father was from the old country in Europe, had old ways, but was a smart man. He had many faults, but if you wanted old world thinking, he was the guy to go to.

My mother's father was modern all the way. Again, he was an absolutely brilliant man, would have been an engineer or an architect in another life, but if you wanted modern advice, he was the go-to guy.

My own father is a mix of old and new. He has the old values, but he is firmly steeped in the new, I guess because of the influence my mother has had on him.

And yes, he is as brilliant as the other two, probably would have been a lawyer in another life, and his influence on me has been immeasurable.

The three of them have filtered down to me, and I guess I am an amalgam of the three. I have one foot in the old, one foot in the new, and I must say that I think I may not be brilliant, but I am pretty good in the brain area.

But you know what? I think the three of them really were/are much brighter than I will ever be, because they each had many more obstacles than I ever had to overcome to be successful.

In plain words, they made it easier for me to survive and make my own way in life.

My next generation potential future dad is in the wings. He graduates high school in a few days, and again, he has obstacles in front of him that I will never have to face.

He is a good kid, and I hope the world is nice to him as he tries to move up the ladder to success.

I would imagine I have been an influence on him, as has been his two grandfathers, my dad and my wife's dad. My son is smart in his own way, and he tries hard to succeed.

I think over time, he will do just fine.

And not to forget my daughter, but I guess even often at a distance, I have had some type of influence on her, too.

I am sure every family has their own stories of male perseverance and strength. In a nutshell, you just read about mine.

So happy Father's Day to all the men out there, and cook up a nice hot dog for me, OK?

See you on Monday.