Happy 70th Birthday, Dad!

It’s been about 6 years since the day my Dad sat at a diner in Hawaii with our whole family and told us he had prostate cancer. At the time it was not the worst news because although the cancer was all over his body it had not attached to his bones, so the doctors had told him he could still live for a significant number of years. Just a few months ago, however, the cancer did settle into his bones and he had to start chemotherapy. He’s been doing exceptionally well through this and is not experiencing many of the side effects that are normal at this stage. More importantly, he feels good and is enjoying every moment of his life to the fullest.

I share this with you because it is the most recent illustration of one of the many reasons why I am so proud to be this man’s son.

Today, January 21, 2012, is my Dad’s 70^th birthday. He is one of the most amazing people I know, and I want to share this fact with anyone who is willing to listen. I want to honor my Dad on his birthday by shouting his praises from the highest mountaintop to the most people within earshot. Translated in today’s technology terms, that mountaintop is my blog.

Just to clarify, it’s not his bout with cancer that raises him to hero status in my eyes. He has always been an exceptional human being, long before the disease arrived. He set the bar high for his children, his friends, his colleagues, and anyone else who has been a part of his life. His example of how to live has and will always be what I strive for in my own life, and it has had that same impact in so many others he has come in contact with.

Honesty. Integrity. Compassion. Loyalty. Sincerity. These are just a few of the characteristics he embodies and has passed on to me and my siblings.

I could go on and on, but instead I’ve summed up how I feel about my Dad in a poem. It is my birthday wish for him, and I share it with you in hopes that yet again my Dad’s life will influence others in positive ways. I also invite you to leave your own birthday wishes for Arlie L. McDaniel, Jr., in the comments below if you so desire.

Happy Birthday, Dad! I love you!

In a world
Where many girls
And boys
Are faced with the choice
Between one parent or the other
It took some time for me
But eventually
I discovered
That I am the child of a man who rises above all others
A husband of only one
A father who not only loves his daughter and sons
But lived and lives his life to pursue
Their dreams coming true
His passion to see our satisfaction
Unrivaled by any other distraction
An example of man
Father
Husband
Brother
Friend
Son
That not one
Of us could dream we would become
Yet every day
In some small or marvelous way
I see his face
In my reflection
His influence affecting my direction
Hear his voice ringing in my inflections
His wisdom echoing in my decisions
His humor infiltrating my witticisms
His eyes
Lighting up in mine
His laughter
Dancing from my lips
This
Is the greatest gift
I have known
And I hope and dream and desire to own
Even just a fraction
For my children
For my wife
For my brother and sister
For my friends
For my Mom
For my Dad
You, my father
Are the best man I could ever hope to be
And I will always be grateful for what that means
To who I am becoming