This past week I was at a book event and I was - as usual - asked about the relationship between my mom and me, and my relationship with my sister. But every so often, and this week was one, I am asked about my dad. In fact, it was less of a question and more of a comment: “It sounds like you had the perfect parent to help you through this.”

I responded by talking about how I had the perfect parents, first discussing my mom’s ability to understand a completely dependent child through her training and life-long career as an early childhood educator. But this person happened to be a lawyer herself, and she was referring to my father the attorney, about whom I was happy to talk as well. Especially when I was asked the question, “How in the world did you find Dr. Garfin?” My dad, of course! He took care of everything I needed, pre-internet, by spending hours on the phone researching.

There is a unique relationship between a father and a daugther, and my dad and I are no different. I used to look more like him than I do now (I look more and more like my mom as I grow older), but our personalities are extremely similar. I am just like my dad. We may have different interests (those line up more along with my mom’s), but our temperment and personalities are pretty similar. Because of this, we understand each other - often times - without having to actually say what we are thinking. There is a level of understanding and communication that only comes from a shared way of thinking.

My dad is also a link to understanding the world of goodness and caring. In his job he meets with different people each day - and never does a week go by that someone does not ask how I am doing. They may remember my name, they may not. They may remember the nature of my injury, they might not. But complete strangers, yet members of the community in which I grew up, remember that my father had a daughter who was injured. And they still care. They still care enough to remember and to inquire. I find that awesome and inspiring.

My dad might never say it, but I know it is comforting to him to know that people still care about our family. My dad might not say a lot of things, but that is just one small difference that we do have, because I will:

HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD!!!! Thank you for the many, many gifts you have given me and the examples you have shown me. Love, H.Adella