MY DAD

it has been 2 years since i have blogged.

i am amazed that moments of today
have become long past yesterdays.
there have been many notable memories left unrecorded

without any acknowledgement.

today is not going to be that day.

today is another special day...father's day

a few weeks ago,

i had the opportunity

to witness a great moment. 

my father was selected to receive a prestigious honor and award.

i enjoyed the ambiance and charm of sigma chi's young and old.

for a brief moment,
i felt the unity
 that existed between this distinguished group,

especially when they joined in song.
"sweetheart of sigma chi"

the dinner and conversation did not disappoint.

i reconnected with old friends and made a few new.

i listened as one gentleman spoke of worldly accomplishments

and fortunes made. 

another gentleman

developed worldwide relationships and business successes
all most impressive and worthy of recognition.

and then the words from the emcee
..."carl lind will present our final

significant sigma chi...ray hart."

carl introduced my father
as a track star from idaho falls
bearing the coveted gold outlined tooth.

the delivery of his words were timely.

poignant moments as a sig
became *shark bait
for us hooked on carl's lines.
(another story for another day)

carl was sure to mention that ray's greatest catch
was joanne garff,

the sweetheart of sigma chi,

who just happened to be seated in the bowery.

when you love your dad, like i do
you hope the presenter
will represent him well...
carl did.

my dad, dressed in university of utah colors...
crimson red and white
and with his sigma chi pin,
took to the stage.

my dad...forfeited his written notes

calling them "long and boring."

he spoke from the heart.

his heart called for the young sigs to listen up

"as i pondered what i would say,
the thoughts of why me? 

what have i done to be selected for this honor?
came to my mind.
i remembered a certain quote

i believe being a significant sig come from abiding by these word:

'the things that you do 

that you don't have to do 

will always determine what you are 

when it's too late to do anything about it'

we all have to do things...eat, go to work, pay the bills...

but it is in doing the things we don't have to do 
that determines our greatness."

a gentleman on my left obviously intrigued...

"now say that again..."

i glanced around to see so many waiting with anticipation

"the things that you do 

that you don't have to do

will always determine what you are 

when it's too late to do anything about it"

someone else asked for clarification.

my dad shared a specific example
regarding the elegant apparel 

his sweetheart of sigma chi was wearing that very night.

my dad all but went to the ends of the earth

so my mother could have something special for this event.

(it was that very story that brought a beautiful young woman...
maybe a future sweetheart of sigma chi,

over just to meet my mom and compliment her. 

all were touched by her gesture.)

on the way home, i thought
i did not have to go tonight, but i did.
how grateful i was noah was there to hear
such words of greatness
from his significant grandfather.

i could have given the sigma chi's a plethora of "do 's" 

"do 's"  that were certainly not my dad's have to's

and yet...he did them

i wish i had had the gumption to voice

"and if you do it the ray hart way

 you do  those do 's you don't have to do ,

 like it is the most important job in the world. 

you do it to the best of your ability and enjoy it to the very core."

here's a few do 's

~he sent my mom pink keds 

(part of the reason for my existence)

~he came multiple times to my school to help sort crayons and markers and

  a "post it" note pick up when the vacuum was inoperable

~surprised me with a full tank of gas more times than i can count

~took several weeks worth of laundry several times this year, just to give me a lift

~made friends with the others at the laundormat

matched socks, hung t-shirts, straightened here and there...

~funded my future
~investied in my passions

~gave my school custodian a tip
~believied in me, when no one else did

~listened to my presentations
~watched all my smile box slideshows

~put up the student artwork for culture night

~swept the leaves, the garage, the kitchen floor, the casings, the porch
~brought chick fil a soup for the night and the night after because he knows i love it

~repaired and cleaned...not one, but three vacuums

  so that it would do an acceptable job and meet his approval

~cut, assembled, bound, paid and delivered 108 mini utah booklets

  for my 4th grade students

~took the garbage out to the garbage and then to the street

~laughied at my jokes

~sent cards at every occasion

~supplied me with every help for hope of healing

~warmed my car
~always opened and continues to open the door for my mother

~scraped my windshield

~thiought that every craft i did was the world's best

~showed up to noah's practice, games, talks, presentations

~trimmed paper beaver pelts for the 4th grade rendezvous

~made sure i had flowers for parent teacher conference

~gave me blessings
~made arrangements for my temple wedding in sweden
and a honeymoon in paris

~prayed for me to find things that were insignificant for most

  but were important to me
~drove my mom weekly from idaho falls to salt lake
so they could care for noah on fridays
while i worked as an educator

~he is an optimist and a builder...a wonderful example

he has another motto,

"leave a place better than you found it."

he always does.

you don't have to be his daughter to recieve this kind of treatment

i am a keen observer.

i have seen him in his interactions.

he is just like his name

"all HEART"
mmmmm....
i wonder what he'll
not have to do...
 but will do today?

happy father's day

mon pere