my parents, but more specifically my father, have tainted my ability to find a suitable mate. for my 22 years on earth, i have been given the most incredible example of what it means to be a father, husband and man. he's the second child of five, born in iowa, raised in oklahoma. he's worked since he was 15 and never had a glamorous job: assistant to a mechanic, engraver for a monument company, janitor, teaching assistant and finally scientist. he was a hippie in high school with long hair and mail van. in a segregated town, he drove a van full of black kids to and from school everyday. he was asked to graduate early, not because of misbehavior, but because his hair and philosophies made the administration nervous.
he married my mother when he was 19 and went on to college, finishing his undergraduate in 3.5 years with a 4.0 gpr while working 3 jobs. they moved to college station where they had my sister and i. both of my parents worked multiple jobs while pursuing graduate degrees. dad got his master's and his doctorate and then a job in lubbock.
since then, he has been a passionate researcher and a devoted family man.
he is easily the smartest man i know. math and science are like second nature to him, but he stills loves to read and wax philosophically. he is always learning something new, either through reading or travelling. the work he does helps farmers in west texas and across the world to be able to produce their crops in an efficient, cost-effective manner. his workday lasts from 6 am till 5 pm not because he has to, but because he loves what he does.
he is charitable. our home has always been centered on an appreciation of the blessing afforded us and a sense of duty to help those less fortunate. he taught me the value of volunteering. he is constantly at church teaching sunday school, serving on committees, even cutting the lawn when finances are tight. when i was in junior high and high school, we would work on habitat for humanity houses and dad reminded me why. a lot of the people we helped made decisions that we didn't necessarily agree with and that probably helped put them in their current circumstances. none of that matters, we help people because it's what Christians are called to do without judgment or expectation.
he is a man of his word. people always call on my father for help because they know he will come through. i have never doubted the lengths to which my dad would go to help me or anyone else in a time of need.
he taught me to question everything, to formulate independent beliefs and to stand up for what i know is right. he never backs down from his values and doesn't sugar coat how he feels. in recent years, he's shown me that there are times when it's best to wait to be asked your opinion - i'm still workin on that one though.
he is humble. i have never heard him boast. he's never had a flashy car or expensive clothes. he understands that his material possessions in no way determine the value of his life.
he is wonderful with children. my dad has a sincere way of talking to little kids that makes them feel important, interesting and intelligent.
he is respectful of women. forget all the shallow things we tend to think signify respect. my father will
never allow his wife or daughters to be treated poorly. his behavior is consistent in the presence and absence of my mother. he's told me never to put up with crap from a guy. i've never heard him make anything close to a crude comment about a woman and can't even fathom something like that coming from his mouth.
he is funny. saracasm abounds at our dinner table. he's shown me that we really can't afford to take ourselves too seriously. oh, and he introduced me to the onion.
he is masculine. the man cannot dress himself stylishly to save his life. (thank the lord) he knows about cars, planes, plumbing, cigars, scotch, computers, carpentry, camping and fly fishing. i've seen him cry once in my life: the morning i left for college we were praying in my car and he broke down mid-sentence. he told me there would be a hole in his heart when i was gone. (i'm told he cried when he escorted my sister from the bridal room to the church for her wedding.)
he loves the outdoors. through our annual camping trips to the mountains, he's taught me to pitch a tent, build a fire, use a knife, mountain bike, keep bears away, sled, deal with bugs, camp in the snow and go without a shower for a week.
he appreciates art. opera, symphonies, ballets, museums, galleries...you name it, we've done it. music is a huge part of my life and that's largely because of my dad's eclectic taste in music. from elvis to p-funk to robert earl keen to tone loc to radiohead, he listens to it all.
he is a man of faith. almost everything i've listed can be attributed to his personal relationship with Christ. he's not in your face or stuffy about it, he just lives his beliefs.
so there's my standard. and now that i'm old enough to know i don't want to play games or settle for less than i deserve, i realize i'm screwed. stupid amazing parents.
