A_Fathers_Commitment

Full of regret, my dad’s eyes fill with tears as he pulls his car to the side of the road, “You know I love you girls and your mom right'” I’ll never forget the look on his face as my sisters and I nod our heads ‘yes’. That was the first time I had ever seen my dad cry and although I was still just a little girl, I understood why. There are no fingers that pointed to anyone or any reason why my dad started drinking, he just did and I think it’s safe to say that he got hooked on it. In fact is started to consume his life. Slowly yes but it was very obvious that he was going down and weather he meant to or not he was bringing his family down with him. Every pay check started going to six packs and although my dad feels as if “I hurt my family life” I never felt like he failed my sisters and I as a dad. The quote “Everything happens for a reason” seems cliché but it’s something I’ve learned to live by after going through my parents’ divorce. My dad completely turned his life around from that point and although my parents split was a tragedy, I am so thankful for it because I honestly feel like it saved my dad and opened his eyes to what truly matters. The image of my dad that my mom use to know and sometimes will speak of now is nothing but a faint memory of my childhood. My dad is a wonderful man and nothing short of a perfect dad. As he speaks of his childhood his face lights up; church every Sunday and family dinners every night is how he remembers it. He says he doesn’t regret any part of it and I envy how fondly he speaks of all his different experiences. “It was the summer of 1975” he begins, “my whole family piled in the car for a road trip to Oklahoma.” He tells me his favorite part of the trip was that he got to take his BMX bike and show it off to all the kids who had never seen anything like it before, I giggle because my dad has always been such a show off. Then he goes on to add how he’d love to do it all over again if he could. My dad tells me how he looks up to a man of the name Donald, this is his uncle. I never got the chance to meet him but by the way my dad speaks of him he must have been some extraordinary guy. He tells me how Donald taught him almost everything he knows today. He is the whole reason why my dads’ fascination with trains started. Before Donald passed away he showed my dad everything he needed to know about working the train and the tracks then he handed it down to him, that meant a lot to my dad. As far back as I can remember he’s kept his word to Donald and has been keeping the train running and it’s something I believe my dad is very proud of. Jonathan Lee Coffman, my dad, would like to be remembered just how he is today. Someone that would bend over backwards, do anything he could if it benefitted someone else or put a smile on their face. One of his best qualities is his big heart and caring personality and that’s what I love most about him. I couldn’t ask for a better dad, I’m so thankful for him, faults and all he’s perfect in my eyes.