Almost five years ago my father passed, I wrote this as a way to deal with his loss.
It seems like a good time to post this.
My dad was a teacher, not just in history and economics but in my life as well. He taught me the normal things like how to throw, catch and hit a baseball and how to ride a bike. He also let me learn about things like force, velocity and gravity at the same time, like what happens when you suddenly stop a bike and don't have time to put your feet down. Velocity, force and gravity takes over. He taught me that the only thing that would limit me was me, that I could do it my way and that I was the one responsible for my actions, good and bad. While he wasn't the best teacher about love and emotion, I always felt loved and cherished, and he would do anything in his power to help me when I was in need.
Dad, from his descriptions, did not have the best childhood and did not want me to go through the same things that he did. This may explain why I "got away" with taking over the garage with cars and car parts for many summers in my teens, and maybe a few other things.
You taught me how to fix things, sometimes by showing me how not to do it, I still remember the car battery exploding and the melted wrench. Always disconnect the negative side first.
You were always there to help me up when I fell, talk to when I needed to, boost me up when I was down. You were the best teacher a son could hope for in life, and your last lesson you might have not even known you were teaching was the strongest lesson, it was bravery, as you were looking into the long night at the end, you're accepting of it, was the bravest thing I have ever seen.
I will miss the talks we had, the discussions, even with opposite viewpoints, most of all I will miss you.