Earlier this week I wrote a story about a carjacking and it made me think of my Dad. OK, just wait, it will make sense I promise. In that piece, the criminals got caught because they did not know how to drive a stick shift. This brings me to my Dad. You guys got to know a little bit about my Mom in another VIP about my giving her my kidney so it is only fair my equally wonderful father gets a shout-out as well.
My Dad made sure I learned a few things. Driving a stick shift was one of those things. He said you never know where you may be or what might happen, you need to know 'just in case'. Look, I have not driven a stick since I was 16 so the chances I can drive one away in a carjacking are slim BUT I did know how at one time because of my Dad.
If you follow me on Twitter you know my Dad is an ordained minister and he gets on X to see my song games. He usually has something to say about some of you being rude or using profanity and I often apologize to him after tweeting certain things. He is also one of the most humble, kind, and wonderful men I know.
My father is the father everyone wishes they had. When I was a teenager I thought he was the worst because teenage brains are stupid and I saw his protecting me as him trying to ruin my life. He has always been the Dad that prepares you for anything 'just in case'.
Taught me how to change a flat, how to check my oil, how to fish, and all kinds of things 'just in case'. The number of times his 'just in case' lessons have helped me is too numerous to name but I am going to give one example that I hope sticks with you as it has stuck with me.
I am a bit of an introvert, like my Dad. The two of us can sit in a room him reading a book and me reading a book and not speak for an hour and feel like that was some great quality time. We share that quality, but my Dad is kind of shy, I am NOT shy. I just get annoyed with people and try to avoid them. HAHA! My dad is calm, sweet, and humble, I can be sassy, and my personality is an acquired taste, I know that and I accept it. The reason I accept it boils down to a single memory of my Dad when I was very young.
I was an interesting child. I asked a lot of questions and I was interested in EVERYTHING around me. When my Dad was a new Christian we started going to a church. I loved it. I wanted to learn anything and everything I could. I was about 4 years old and I asked questions on top of questions and this went on until I was six.
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We went to church like normal, I had a new teacher. I will not go into a theology lesson here, but I will just say, this teacher was teaching some stuff different than my Dad had told me so I started asking questions. Questions that made her mad and she did not know how to answer so she kicked me out of class and I had to sit in the hall.
Yes, I was kicked out of Sunday School at age six.
My Dad came to get me after church and I told him I got kicked out for asking questions. His words have shaped everything about who I am today, why I lean to the right on politics, why I even thought about writing for Twitchy, why I am who I am, why I STILL ask questions.
Dad: 'Never stop searching, never stop asking questions, learn everything you can. People who are afraid to talk about what they believe and why they believe it are just afraid. Anything you believe in can stand up to questions. If you ask a question I do not have the answer to, we can search until we find the answer. You go be you and I will always be here, just in case.'
Those words led me on quite a path. I have never backed down even when people told me I couldn't do something, because it just seemed like I was allowed to try anything, If I succeeded it was great, and if I failed it was ok because I would learn something and my Dad was always there 'just in case'.
Since that day, I still ask questions, I know what I believe and why I believe it, and if I am not sure what I believe I have no problems saying that and looking for answers. I don't worry about if others believe it as well. I am who I am because my Dad told me very early it was okay to be me, I still understand I can be A LOT, and my poor Dad has probably regretted it many times but he has always stood by me.
If you still have your Dad, hug him, call him, tell him you love him, 'just in case'.
~ Angie
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