"Bonnie! It's Daddy!"

“Bonnie! It’s Daddy!” is usually the way my father starts our phone conversations, as if I wouldn’t recognize his voice after 29 years of hearing it. Usually, this is followed by a story, a joke, or a list of questions he has already asked but forgotten he asked so he is asking again.

My father is a character. He is a story-teller. And when I really think about it, he is the heart of the humor in my family. While we are a pretty funny family, my father is definitely the source from which our humor comes.  Trust me. This isn’t a small thing in our family.

Humor is what keeps us afloat in a lot of ways. It’s our way of having a good time, of initiating others into the clan, showing love to each other, and coping when things seem unbearable. While there is no doubt that our family is strong and resilient, it is the humor that gets through the hard times. It is one of the things that make each of us who we are. And my father helps to give us that.

People often say that women are attracted to men who are like their fathers. While I find that idea absolutely repulsive, the fact that I find a good sense of humor a man’s most attractive quality is not a surprise given who my model is. And while I think I have a combination of both my parents’ personalities, I definitely get my outgoing nature, story-telling ability, and inability to be on time from my dad.

But my father is much more then the joke teller. As we have aged, he has become a support and a comfort. A hug from my father and his kind words are enough to push me through to the next day, even when I didn’t think anything could.

My dad is awesome. I am lucky to have him as a father.