10 THINGS TO ASK YOUR DAD THIS FATHER’S DAY

It wasn’t until I moved 1,000 miles away from my family that I truly appreciated my parents. Hear me out here. I’ve always been incredibly grateful for the love, support and most importantly the sacrifices that both my Mom and Dad have made that have allowed me to build a life I believe in. None of what I am, or what I’ve accomplished thus far would have been possible without them. None of it. My gratitude and my thankfulness are real. And have always been there. But my appreciation and unwavering awareness of the importance of time- the time I spend with them, the time I’m apart from them, the moments I miss, and the years that pass within our family unit- has grown exponentially over the last few years now that there is half a country of space between us.

I consider myself lucky to have a job that sends me back to Chicago, (my home-town!) quite frequently. And when it does, I stay at my parents and we all morph right back into a sense of normalcy. We shuffle toward our morning coffee as if in some unspoken choreographed routine. I wear the spare PJs I leave in a drawer in my childhood bedroom. My mom makes dinner each night. My Dad leads the charge on our nightly Netflix choices. And then it’s time for me to go back to my life out East. And you know what? It’s always hard.

I’ve become vividly aware of the importance of savoring these moments, even the ones that feel oh-so-ordinary. These ordinary moments are my family. They are our history. And there will come a time it’ll be up to me to pass them on to the next generation. And to make sure I don’t drop the ball, this year for Father’s Day I’m sitting down with my Dad to chat. You know those stories your Dad has been telling you for years about your family, about your relatives and about his life? Now is the time to remember them.

You may know the answer to some of these, most of these, or all of these. But it never hurts to ask again. In no particular order… take some time to ask your Dad.

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1. What truly makes you your happiest?

2. What is your first memory?

3. Who was the oldest relative you knew? What do you remember most about him or her?

4. What quality of character do you think your father most wanted his children to have? What did you admire in him?

5. What was your favorite time/age of raising your children?

6. Where is the one place in the world you most want to go?

7. When was the first time you felt like you were truly grown up?

8. What accomplishment in your life do you feel is the most significant?

9. Was there anything difficult that happened when you were young that you now see as a “blessing in disguise”?

10. What is the one wish you have for each of your children as adults?

Happy Father’s Day, Dad. Wear you are now.

xx

Natalie