Dearest Dad,
Today is your birthday. Today you are 61 years young. Today I want to tell you how grateful I am to have you as my father.
I know you may read this and roll your eyes. But after you roll your eyes I hope you smile because you have one of the most infectious smiles around and on your birthday you should smile. When I think of your smile I envision that picture of you Mom has in her old Pi Beta Phi frame where you are grinning from ear to ear. It is one of my favorite pictures of you.
There are so many aspects of my life that are a reflection of you. From my endless love for the outdoors and adventure to my affinity for singer/songwriter music you have contributed to all of it. Even my inability to tell a joke comes from you. Yeah, Dad, you may think your jokes are super funny but I’ve found that most people give nothing but a blank response after I attempt one of your jokes.
My life is more beautiful because of you. It was my memory of your love for Colorado that brought me here 4 years ago. Every day I appreciate this beautiful state because you taught me to revel in natural beauty for all it has to offer as one day it may be gone. Really though, there is nothing like hanging off the side of a cliff with the Rockies stretched out before you or finishing a class III rapid boat in tack to make you appreciate life.
I am a stronger person because of you. Growing up you always encouraged us to try new things and even if we weren’t the best at them to keep trying. You never hesitated to offer tough advice even if we didn’t want to hear it. These are just some of the things that have made me stronger.
In no way is this an exhaustive list of how you have influenced me throughout my life. All I hope to accomplish by writing this is to begin to demonstrate how grateful I am to be your daughter.
I would not be who I am today without you.
I love you.
Sarah