Hannah George

THE VERY BEST

 My husband and I spent Sunday afternoon with my family.  Dad requested chicken tacos, zippy rice and homemade guacamole.  We concluded his Father’s Day feast with iced coffee, bittersweet chocolate tart, and home churned mint chocolate chip ice cream.  I adore my dad.  We are two peas in a pod and probably most alike out of anyone in the family.  While he has many fantastic fatherly qualities, one practice wins my dad the title of, “the very best!”

I grew up in a small town.  The kind that is so connected, it feels like it is the center of the universe.  A busy street separated our ranch styled home from a local produce store.  We measured the change of seasons by the pumpkins, Christmas trees, flowers, and watermelons arranged along the shop. 

Our house began cavernous and empty, but soon I was elbow to elbow with 6 animated brothers and sisters.  What to do with so many children?  We bought bunk beds and trundle twins!  As the bedrooms filled up, mom and dad moved into the spare living room.  The lack of space had my parents storing belongings wherever was available which put mom’s clothes in the little girl’s room, and dad’s suits and slacks in the right half of my closet. 

I loved sharing with dad.  I loved that when I was playing hide and go seek, and later when I talked on the phone with boys, I could hide down behind his muffled suits.  I loved that when he hung up his clothes from the dry cleaners, he would make air bubbles with the plastic covering and let me pop them, just like jumbo-sized bubble wrap. 

But these weren’t even the best parts of sharing with dad!  Here is what I loved the most.  Each evening I would be getting ready for bed, and dad would come into the room to rummage through the closet and choose what to wear the next day.   He would select slacks, a shirt, occasionally a tie, and coordinating belt and shoes.  Then he would turn to me.  He would hold up his selection and ask, “Hannah, what do you think of this outfit?”  Me!  The girl who wore soccer pajama shorts to the grocery store!  The daughter with the never ending ugly duckling stage, and the boy hair cut! 

I have since received above average grades.  My amateur artwork has boasted first place in some events.  I am a decent employee and sometimes receive humbling compliments.  But no praise, no award or recognition has meant more than my dad wanting the opinion of his little girl.  This is what makes my dad the very best!