Errbody in The Club

“To err is human; to forgive is divine.” — Alexander Pope

This resonates well with where I am at. My dad definitely ‘err’ed. However, I cannot throw the baby out with the bathwater. I have to recognize the other 21 years of my life where my dad raised me and took care of me. My dad hugged me everyday and told me he loved me. My dad came to most of my events like baseball, basketball, football, concert band, jazz band, musicals, and who knows what else. My dad tried to be there for all of it. My dad told me I could do anything I set my mind to. Part of the reason I am who I am today is because he still believes in me.

Today, I choose to no longer define him by his greatest mistake in my life. 

I choose to no longer define myself by the greatest mistake he made in my life.

I choose to define him by the 21 years he was a good father to me.

I will define myself by the healing and growth I am gaining moving forward.

What do you define yourself by?

Who has hurt you?

Who do you need to forgive?

One Down

One appointment down. One more to go. I suspect there will be, “One more to go.” for quite a while to come. 

30 minutes ago I was sitting with my newfound friend, counselor, and wise confidant. Now I’m sitting down in my corporate coffee shop of choice full of information about me. It is interesting to sit down with someone who isn’t close to me and talk with them as if they are my friend whom I’ve known for years. And afterwards? I walk away with new insights to who I am. Today’s insight is: “My dad is my hero.” 

When he left, my hero threw in the towel. 

My Superman threw in the towel. 

My dad was my inspiration.

When he left, my inspiration left.

My dad challenged me to stretch myself.

When he left, I stopped challenging and stretching myself.

Now, I have to let my dad be my superman again.

I have to forgive my dad.

When I forgive my dad, I will be breaking down the walls that stop him from inspiring me to challenge myself. When I face a challenge and achieve excellence, I am then inspired to challenge myself again.

I face that challenge and I am inspired to excel and achieve excellence, because my dad believes in me.

Whether he is sitting next to me, a million miles away, or 6 feet under. 

My dad is my inspiration, he loves me, and wants the best for me.

Today, I go home, eat dinner with my wife and tell her about my appointment.

Tomorrow, I challenge myself to forgive my dad.

Forgiving my dad, wholly and fully, will mean I’ve achieved excellence again. If I achieve excellence again; then, I might be inspired to challenge myself again. Then who knows what might come next. Will this unlock me challenging myself and achieving excellence over and over again?