My dad taught me to . . . shoot pool
My father taught me...
to work smart, not hard.
to do it right...the first time.
to check, double check, and triple check my work, before saying "it's done."
how to fix plumbing, tile my bathroom floor, basically...work on my house, MYSELF.
how to re-finish beautiful antiques...that were damaged, or painted.
how to cook the Thanksgiving/Christmas turkey, and grandpa's gravy.
how to shoot pool.
how to have a good time, no matter where I am.
My father didn't teach me how to read, but my father taught me that I could make/fix/do anything, if I read the directions.
My father didn't teach me how to do stained glass. When I wanted him to buy me an expensive stained glass lamp as my Christmas present, he said he wouldn't. However, he was more then willing to spend 1/2 the price of the lamp to send me class to learn how to do stained glass myself. The he taught me how to make my own channeled frames for my stained glass pieces.
My father taught me how to be the strong, independent, self sufficient woman that I am today!! THANX DAD!!
Dhana Clark
to work smart, not hard.
to do it right...the first time.
to check, double check, and triple check my work, before saying "it's done."
how to fix plumbing, tile my bathroom floor, basically...work on my house, MYSELF.
how to re-finish beautiful antiques...that were damaged, or painted.
how to cook the Thanksgiving/Christmas turkey, and grandpa's gravy.
how to shoot pool.
how to have a good time, no matter where I am.
My father didn't teach me how to read, but my father taught me that I could make/fix/do anything, if I read the directions.
My father didn't teach me how to do stained glass. When I wanted him to buy me an expensive stained glass lamp as my Christmas present, he said he wouldn't. However, he was more then willing to spend 1/2 the price of the lamp to send me class to learn how to do stained glass myself. The he taught me how to make my own channeled frames for my stained glass pieces.
My father taught me how to be the strong, independent, self sufficient woman that I am today!! THANX DAD!!
Dhana Clark
It has taken more than three decades for three of the four siblings in our family to finally discuss our past with each other. One of us still can't bear to talk about it. Here are a few details that stand out:
Things My Father Taught Me . . .
He taught me that I couldn't save my siblings or myself from sexual abuse by him, because I was just a kid. But one of my younger siblings says they remember me as their protector. I would hide with them and tell stories, tales of how we would run away someday and we wouldn't be hurt anymore.
He taught me that an abuser can present a good image. People are fooled by a smiling sociopath, even as he's moving to a new town because he preyed on married women at his workplace.
He taught me that a father will be believed when he tells his spouse that he only abused one of his children, and it only happened once, and it was "no big deal."
Here are the sweetest words I've ever heard. A couple of years ago one of my (young adult) children said, "Dad, I'm really proud of you." When I asked why, the answer was, "Because you grew up being abused, and you decided when you had a family you were't going to have an abusive one."
Instead of thinking of my father, I will focus on those words this Father's Day.
Wishing to remain anonymous
Things My Father Taught Me . . .
He taught me that I couldn't save my siblings or myself from sexual abuse by him, because I was just a kid. But one of my younger siblings says they remember me as their protector. I would hide with them and tell stories, tales of how we would run away someday and we wouldn't be hurt anymore.
He taught me that an abuser can present a good image. People are fooled by a smiling sociopath, even as he's moving to a new town because he preyed on married women at his workplace.
He taught me that a father will be believed when he tells his spouse that he only abused one of his children, and it only happened once, and it was "no big deal."
Here are the sweetest words I've ever heard. A couple of years ago one of my (young adult) children said, "Dad, I'm really proud of you." When I asked why, the answer was, "Because you grew up being abused, and you decided when you had a family you were't going to have an abusive one."
Instead of thinking of my father, I will focus on those words this Father's Day.
Wishing to remain anonymous
