Dads come in all shapes and sizes and personalities. I was very fortunate to have had a nice Dad. 

As a kid the only way to know how your Dad compares to other Dads is through spending time in your friend’s houses. My first realization that I had a ‘nice’ Dad was when my friend and I were sent out into a summer rain to take the laundry off the line. We laughed and screamed and tugged at the clothes in our rush to get them inside. 

My friend received a spanking in front of me for ‘tugging’ on the clothes instead of removing the pegs first.

I stared in shock and hurt for my friend. I recognized that my own father would never have even thought about the clothes on the line, nor how we went about taking them down, let alone give a spanking for such a minor infraction. 

That same friend’s Dad once waggled his finger in my face and admonished me for eating a piece of fruit without washing it first. Thanks to him, I have diligently washed every fruit and vegetable I’ve consumed since; I joke I am part raccoon. 

Another friend’s father was consistent in his advice giving –and truth be told, many of his pointers proved useful over the years. Like cautions about home and car safety; don’t stop for a man on the highway — drive on ahead and call the police to go and check. Good advice that I never would have thought of myself, nor would my father have thought to mention it.

This particular friend’s father was a square dancing, country music loving, shoot from the hip, ‘I’ll tell you what’s wrong with the world’ kind of guy. To say that he was the antithesis of my golf playing, bagpipes are so music, and ‘I think before I speak’ Dad is an understatement. 

This friend’s Dad had a gruff manner of speaking. My own father could be gruff, but generally, only when he felt it was called for. At ten years old, my friend’s Dad was a little intimidating to me, but I have a clear memory of him settling into his easy chair, joking about something, and allowing the kittens to sleep on his ample belly. Another lesson assimilated; gruffness does not imply a lack of gentleness.

Here’s a toast to Dads everywhere.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog.  Your comments, questions, ideas and suggestions are always welcome.  You can comment here, or choose between Facebook, Twitter, or the contact button.  

Anne Milne is an every Sunday blogger.  I keep it short and to the point.  Topics are as wide ranging as a straight but not narrow path.