"If you want to do it. I'll help you." Those are the words, I heard my father say when I mentioned the idea of entering an 18 hour mtb race 8 years ago. It wasn't the first time I had heard them in my life. They've been spoken to me since I was a kid. I didn't know what I was getting myself into except my friends said it would be a good time. I can't imagine he had any clue either. 18 hours later, we both knew it wouldn't be the last limit pushing task I would take us on.
Yesterday, I was able to sneak away from the house for a quick 5 hour ride. While riding past the various crop fields in Hanover, a song came over the Pandora airwaves which sent me down memory lane. It was "The Impossible" by Joe Nichols.
He checked underneath my bed
He could lift me with one arm
Way up over top his head
He could loosen rusty bolts
With a quick turn of his wrench
He pulled splinters from his hand
Never even flinched
In thirteen years I'd never seen him cry
But the day that grandpa died,I realized
Unsinkable ships, sink
Unbreakable walls, break
Sometimes the things you think would never happen
Happen just like that
The lyrics resonate deeply with me. If you know my dad, you would think Joe wrote the song about him. Even to this day, I rely on him to loosen bolts I can't break. I was lucky enough to grow up with a role model in the form of a father who taught me life long lessons. He taught me how to work with tools by granting my brother, sister and I access to his toolbox to build a treehouse. Then coming back to make sure it would stay in the tree. He would teach me to operate a motor vehicle without causing havoc all over the county.
One of the biggest lessons he taught me was that he would always be there. He taught me to dream big. That nothing was impossible. He did so by stating those nine words, "If you want to do it. I'll help you." over and over again with every bright idea I ever had.
Over the years, I have been told by many who have met the both of us, I am the spitting image of my father. There couldn't be a bigger compliment I could ever receive. My drive, determination and good looks I got from him.
I recently read on article which stated that Father's Day will take a backseat to Mother's Day this year. Thankfully it is not and will not be the case in our family. Dad, thank you for always helping.
As a thank you to all the fathers out there, the team and I have put together a gift box which we will be raffling off this week. The box contains a stunning silk tie and leather card case donated by Lilo Collections, a variety of rubs for your grilling and eating pleasure and a hand-turned pen made by the finest woodworker I know, my Dad. Every donation between now and 9pm Friday night, will receive a #NothingToItButToDoIt t-shirt and an entry to win the gift box for a special father in your life. Entries can be made here.
