The Watermelon Dance

It’s 30 minutes until noon. I am currently sitting here on the patio swing at my Aunt’s house, enjoying the peace and tranquility. The sky is a bright, baby powder blue, and the air is crisp and cool. The sun is shining over the various planted fruit trees and potted purple and yellow flowers. The humming birds have been buzzing by to get to their little feeders. It reminds me a lot of Mum’s backyard in Tennessee. It’s not a bad way to start an April Monday. And for the first time in a while, I’m at peace in the present.

It seems like the last few weeks have been a blur since my latest post. I haven’t been terribly busy running around, but my mind keeps me busy enough, often wandering, preparing myself for the future. The only real misadventures I’ve currently had to deal with are ironically all car related. I’d rather not go into too much detail, but let’s just say I never expected to be dealing with another car wreck or car troubles on top of everything else that’s been on my plate.

Fortunately, I’ve been able to spend time with family I had not seen in 10 years. The visit with them has been an amazing experience. It feels like no time has passed between us, and we’ve picked right back up where we left off. The biggest thing I’m grateful for is how much of a positive they are in my life and how it’s helped get me even closer to my Dad’s roots.

Since my Dad passed away in 2001, I was never able to have adult conversations to ask about his past, dreams, likes, dislikes, hardships…just everything. Being able to reconnect with my Aunt and Uncle has given me the opportunity to ask those questions I’ve been dying to know the answer to.

I’ve always struggled with not knowing what Dad was like as a person and not just as my father. Who was this man that was in my life for such a brief time? Who was this man that always brought so many people joy?

If you ask anyone about my Dad, their face immediately lights up with a smile. There was never a dull moment with my Dad. He was constantly cracking jokes, being silly, and playing pranks on people. He was so full of life. He truly cared about his family and friends and always made them feel safe. My Dad wasn’t perfect (who is?), but he tried very hard to be the glue to hold everything together.

I’ll never forget the endless pranks between my Dad and the neighbors. You knew my Dad was at it again with his infamous greased door knob prank when you heard his name bellowed across the neighborhood.

He was so passionate in everything he did. When he built something, he put his heart and soul in it. When he cooked meals, especially his classic homemade spaghetti sauce, you knew he did it with love. He never half assed anything. He took pride in everything he did.

He was also a very quirky and goofy guy. I’ll never forget him dancing around to the music in The Lion King when it first came out on VHS. He called his little dance-off the Watermelon Dance. He looked like a big kid waving his arms in the air and shaking his hips to the music. My sister and I got the biggest kick out of it.

My Dad was always telling the cheesiest of jokes. He had a joke for every occasion. I remember as a pre-teen rolling my eyes at his corniness, thinking I was too cool for that. Now, though, I appreciate all of his jokes because he just wanted to make everyone smile. He had the warmest heart.

After the countless hours of laughter and storytelling about my Dad, I was reminded of a very valuable lesson. Life is truly so precious and should never be taken for granted. Hearing how my Dad still remained positive, despite being very ill, is a reflection of how I want to live my life. My Dad was truly an inspiration to all those around him. He worked so hard to make sure people were smiling and taken care of.

We aren’t promised another day. We aren’t guaranteed to have 5 minutes from now. All we have is this current moment to enjoy. Life is too short to be anything but happy and positive. We shouldn’t spend our waking hours filled with hate and negativity. We can’t control certain circumstances in our life whether it’s financial burdens, death, divorce, etc, but we can control how we react to it.

I’d give anything to be able to have a conversation with my Dad again. You never know when people will be taken away from you in your life. How you treat others in life is super important. Always be kind and treat people with respect. You may never have another opportunity to go back and enjoy that person. Once someone is gone…that’s it. It always bothers me to see so many people disrespect their parents when I don’t have the option to see my Dad anymore.

All this may sound so cliché, but it holds true. Happiness is a choice, and I choose to be happy. I refuse to let negative energy influence my life. I will follow in my Dad’s footsteps and continue his legacy…to be a bright light in people’s lives. After all, we are only given so much time on this Earth. Why not strive to make it brighter?