Dad was great teacher of life

KC at the Bat

by Ken Carpenter

Fathers Day is Sunday June 15, and as it approaches, my thoughts once again turn to the man that had such an impact on my character, career and my life. I can't think of another individual in my life that had such an impact.

I was extremely fortunate to have lived in a time when my father was the foundation of our family. He commuted to work in Columbus every day, some 40 miles from our home in Lancaster, Ohio. Each evening mom would cook a hot meal and we waited until 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. until he came home and we all sat down at the table to eat together. Dad was the man of the house and would say grace before each meal, thanking God for the blessings that we all had.

To supplement our household income, dad played drums in a big band on the weekends. That job eventually led to his hearing loss later in life. He struggled with that disability, but always found some humor in misquoting the things he thought he had heard.

Even though Dad was probably tired after working all day and perhaps wanting to do something else, he never said no to coming outside for a game of catch with his son. I didn't become a great ball player, but in Dad's eyes, I was a major league product of these practice sessions. He was always telling me how proud he was of my baseball efforts.

I have a sister who is seven years my senior, and as we grew up together under Dad's leadership, I found that as a son, he was a solid, stern faced general directing me to do chores and creating an atmosphere of duty. But when my sister approached Dad and put her hand on his shoulder and said, " Daddy I need to ask you something," he was like a pat of butter in a hot frying pan.

As I grew into a man, Dad never told me how to live my life. He lived his and let me watch him do it. That's how I was taught about life.

I'm fortunate enough to have two sons of my own now, one in Raleigh, N.C., and one in Lima, Ohio. My son in Lima has a loving wife and two adorable little girls, all who are his lifeblood. My son in Raleigh is planning his wedding for September. As a father, no one could ever be prouder of these two accomplished men.

There is a sense of honor that makes a father and son more than they are, and gives them the ability to pass something good hopefully into the hands of his sons and father. I still hug and kiss them when I get the chance, but I can't do that anymore to my dad. No one can ever make light of the love that I have shared with the three most important men in my life.

Dad's been gone three years now, and I still think of him everyday. When I have a difficult decision to make, I can't consult my great mentor. When I need an experienced perspective on an issue, Dad isn't there.

In a world that seems to be spinning out of control there's one thing that remains constant in one's life, the love of a father. If you're fortunate enough to still have your dad in your life, call him, visit him, send him a letter and most of all, tell him how much you appreciate all the things he's done for you.

Don't wait; after all it's his day. I miss you Dad.