MY DAD

Maybe THIS is why I have always loved dancing...

My dad, John Arthur Heise, was my first dance partner.

And he taught me how to bowl. He was an excellent bowler.

And without knowing it, he instilled in me that special, albeit odd, sense of Heise humor that comes in handy at the strangest times...and I thank God for that.

 

Oh, we had our issues. And there was roughly a 14-year time span -- from the day I turned 21 till sometime in my mid 30s -- that we rarely talked on the phone and never saw each other. But we were fortunate in that at the end of his journey here on earth 15 years ago, we had the chance to make amends and hug and tell each other how much we loved each other.

Sadly, my dad never met Daniel or my sister's children, Aaron and Liz. Blame it on time, distance, difficult family dynamics, health problems... and yet, in his own way, I know he loved them.

On Father's Day, and every day, it's all about forgiveness, really. Sometimes hard but not impossible to find.

Anyway, thinking of you, Dad. And smiling.