Today’s post honors Mr. Will D. Bradley, written by his daughter Sasha Bradley.
As I was trying to pick out a Father’s Day card for my dad, I noticed how lots of the sentimental cards would have baby feet next to big feet of a dad or small foot prints in sand next to large footprints. This started making me laugh…I promise you that I am a very sentimental person. However, I started thinking that you would rarely see my dad’s foot prints next to mine. This wasn’t because my dad was not around but you wouldn’t see them because I was always on his shoulders.
Today, my poor dad, who once was 6’4”, has shrunken to 6’2”, has horrible back and knee problems, all of which I am sure could be attributed to carrying me and my two brothers on his shoulders. Although, we may have caused him pain in his old age-well shoot, caused him pain of some kind throughout his life, I know for a fact he would not have given up the shoulder rides or the piggy backs. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Man, God sure did bless me with a great dad. My dad has taught me (trained me up with some of life and God’s key principles) some of the core principles in life: work hard; be honest; live right and honor God with every action; be humble; be kind to others; family is so important; you can always get through the trials of life; have faith; put God above all else; laugh; travel; and try to smile as often as you can! My dad would seriously give the shirt off his own back to anyone.
I tear up every time I see the “Love your neighbor as yourself” principle be played out in his life. My mom and he love to travel. Before my dad goes anywhere, he does all kinds of research. They were going on a cruise and he knew they would be stopping at a port, the Republic of Kiribati, where, although a beautiful place, majority of the residents lived in poverty and parents would send their children to beg. My dad knowing this packed a suitcase full of granola bars, candy, crackers and other things to hand out to the children. Another story, he was in 7-11 getting a cup of coffee when he saw some children pooling together all their change to buy an icee to share so he bought them all one and gave them each $2 to buy something else. He has rescued many animals or feeds stray cats. All this is him and shows his heart. He has done these kinds of acts since I was little plus the booboo kisses, shoulder rides, getting up early to get the family doughnuts, letting me help him work in the yard, cooking breakfast for mom together, singing duets at parties, going to see silly movies, him reading the Christmas story every year, praying at dinner, and so many more will never be forgotten and have shaped who I am and given me something to strive to be when I am a mother someday.
So fathers out there, remember the small things influence children; the small things affect us and those small things show us how much you love us. Happy Father’s Day to all of you! I love you dad!
