Father Otter

When we lived in Colorado, my dad worked for the ambulance service twenty-four hours on, twenty-four hours off. By all rights he should have spent his off days asleep, getting some “me time”, but instead he spent it with me and my brother.

He played with us at the rec center. He took us camping and canoeing. He built snowmen with us. In fact, two winters in a row he went out into the back yard with a bread knife and carved out blocks of snow and ice to build and igloo with.

Yeah, I know, awesome right? My dad built an igloo for me and my little brother. And I’m not talking a little snow fort just big enough for a kid to crawl into. I’m talking a full blown igloo with two rooms, tall enough for a grown man to stand up in. My dad was the best dad ever because even though by all rights he could have been a distant dad, he has always had time for us and he has never begrudged us that time.

Beyond always being there, my dad is something else that garnered him the World’s Best Dad Ever Award: he has always been supportive of me and he always let me be me. He has never pushed me into traditional gender roles. In fact, he’s encouraged my independence.

When I was one of two girls on the soccer team, he was my coach. When I started martial arts, he went with me. When I decided I wanted to do fencing instead, he bought himself an epee and joined my class. Because that’s the thing about my dad, he’s not content to just drive his children to and from their various activities, he wants to be a part of our lives. He doesn’t just do things for us, he does things with us.

I’ve done so many things with my dad, so many incredible things. We’ve climbed mountains together, done the Trek Across Maine together, did a century ride together, driven across country together, and now we play in a band together. And I can’t thank him enough for all the time he’s invested in me.

So thank you daddy, for always being there and for always being with me.

I love you more than words could ever adequately express.

Love your,

Daughter Otter