Dear Ann Landers: My father retired a few years ago, and I gave a brief speech in his honor. Dad has been my coach, my mentor and my personal hero. I am lucky to be his son. Will you please print this on Father’s Day, so he will know how much he means to me? — Joe Kotowski, Des Plaines, Ill.
Dear Joe: With pleasure. Your father must be a very special man. Here’s your speech. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled when he sees it in the paper.
Lessons I Learned from My Dad, Without Him Telling Me:
1. Put yourself in the service of others.
2. Be firm but loving with your kids, and be there for them.
3. Commit yourself to your neighborhood, and grow deep roots.
4. Cheer for the underdog. Go to bat for those who deserve a break.
5. If you are really sorry, you won’t do it again.
6. Confront ignorance in all its forms.
7. Love your work, and work hard.
8. Keep your eye on the ball and your mitt down.
Dear Ann Landers: My father is the best person I know. He has helped countless family members and never expects to be repaid. He took in my mother’s sister so she could finish high school and walked her down the aisle at her wedding because her father refused.
The most amazing thing this man did, however, was treat me as his own child. My mother had an affair with my father’s best friend, and I am the result. We never discussed it, but Dad knows I am not his biological daughter. He has loved me without reservation, and he is the only father I know.
When I had appendicitis, he rushed me to the hospital and sat with me for hours while the doctors ran tests. He refused to leave my side. For the three weeks I was in the hospital, he drove an hour each way to see me, after working all day at his job. I always knew he had arrived by the jingle of change in his pockets.
When I got married, I asked Dad if he would give me away. He said, “Are you sure you want me to?” I replied, “Of course I want you to. You are my dad.” His eyes welled up with tears. I hope my father realizes I could not love him more than I do now. He is the best father I could hope for. — Daddy’s Girl in Hartford, Conn.
Dear Daddy’s Girl: Your father sounds like a real gem. Please wish him a “Happy Father’s Day” from me. Read on for another tribute:
Dear Ann: Please print this so I can give it to my father:
Dear Dad: There are so many things you have taught me. Every time my brothers were not around, I was recruited to “fetch this,” “hold this,” “climb up here” and “hand me that.” Every time I held the window while you nailed it into place, every time I stepped on the gas pedal so you could balance the tires, every time I climbed on the roof and handed you a tool, I learned something valuable.
Every morning, I woke up to your whistle, telling me to get ready for school. You made me wash my face, brush my teeth and comb my hair. When you did your final inspection, I learned to show up clean and on time.
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You taught me how to drive and cook “gourmet” mashed potatoes. You showed me how to dance, paint and appreciate good music. But most of all, you taught me that even though I was a girl, I could do anything I wanted to do. This meant the world to me. Through good times and bad, you have been the leader of the band. I love you. — Your Daughter, C.K.
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That first kiss, that first embrace. . . . Remember all the things that brought you and your loved one together? “How We Met,” a collection of sentimental love stories, will make a terrific gift for that special someone. For a copy, send a self-addressed, long, business-size envelope and a check or money order for $5.50 (this includes postage and handling) to: How We Met, c/o Ann Landers, P.O. Box 11562, Chicago, IL 60611-0562 (in Canada, $6.50). To find out more about Ann Landers and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.