IWSG: The Strong, Silent Type – My First Hero

Our January 8 Insecure Writers Support Group question hit home with me for many reasons, many of them not realized until later in life – that understanding that comes with age and experience:
Describe someone you admired when you were a child. Did your opinion of that person change when you grew up?
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. When you’re young, you see just the surface things – like they’re one of those stars in your favorite TV show – larger than life, always in the know, always there, always right . . . and perfect. With the advance of years and knowledge, those opinions change, for better or worse as relationships and roles grow stronger or fade away.
My dad was my hero – the original handsome strong silent type. In a household of three daughters, each of we girls found our own way to relate to him – when he wasn’t working, fishing, hunting, motorcycle riding or building us a cabin up in Michigan’s north woods. My dad was a man’s man, an admirable figurehead to me as a child, whose response when approached was always, “Go ask Mommy” . . . until I was old enough to move out into my first apartment. After helping me drag things up three flights of stairs, I made him a Chinese meal from scratch in my new pans to thank him, something far-flung from the bland fare we got at home due to his ulcer. And, for the first time, we talked as adults. And we really, really enjoyed it.
Imagine my surprise that instead of not wanting to be bothered by we girls, he LOVED to tinker and tote and talk. Where had this quiet, funny, interesting man been all my life? He was uncomfortable because we’d all been educated far beyond what he’d been able to achieve having grown up one of five kids on a working farm, enlisting early in WWII shortly after getting married, and working two jobs to support us thereafter. He was afraid we were embarrassed by him. Jaw drop!
Due to complications from rheumatic fever as a child, improperly treated shrapnel wounds from the war, and smoking like a chimney since a teen, he never got to walk me down the aisle, to help me garden in my first backyard, or meet my sons. They would have loved him! At least I have albums of black and white photos, an American flag from his funeral, and memories to share with my grandson.
My dad was . . . and still is! . . . my hero.

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time. The awesome co-hosts for the January 8th posting of the IWSG will be are Rebecca Douglass, Beth Camp, Liza @ Middle Passages, and Natalie @ Literary Rambles!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
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