DAD TURNS 70

Today is my dad's 70th birthday. It's also my sister's birthday (Happy Birthday sis!), but this story is about my dad. There was a time when the thought of my mother leaving dad and leaving me with him drove me to live a summer with my brother and his family. Dad and I didn't always see eye to eye. But, over the years, I've learned to accept and love my dad for who he is and find the humor in his cantankerous ways. And after this last election, I've never been more proud to call him dad.

My dad is a union man and strong democrat. Both parents took me with them to the polls every time there was something to be voted on. Dad came to the capitol with his union to protest the Right to Work bill. But, despite all this, I wasn't sure how Dad would vote in the election. Dad comes from a small town in the south and though he's never taught or shown any racist behavior, I know he was raised in an environment full of it. So I was concerned and in the months and weeks before the election, we didn't talk about politics.

After the election, I finally mustard the nerve to ask my dad who he voted for. He was surprised by my question and said that he voted for Obama "of course". I've never been more proud of my goofy dad than I was in the moment. And today, the Peanut Man turns 70.