Anna Adcock 10-27-13 Eng 336 Collage

Collage: Hero in the Home

My Dad is my hero. A hero in being the greatest father a girl could ask for and a hero for serving his country in the dangerous warzones overseas. He has been a constant rock for me to lean on when times get rough, even when he is thousands of miles away. Being a father is an extremely important role in a childs life. So important that 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes, 85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes and 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes (Sabrina). Thankfully, Ive been fortunate enough to have a father that doesnt make me fall into those statistics. My Dad has not only taught me, but also showed me how to be a hard worker, how to trust and forgive, and how to live a life that that is pleasing to God. Even though he has not been physically present for all of my life, my Dad has never made my family feel that he is unsupportive or that he doesnt miss us terribly. * Times can be tough though with your father being away. Well, I have something to tell yall. Dad brought my sister, mother and me outside of my grandparents, and by his tone we knew it wasnt good. We were all standing under the carport next to my grandparents new, gold Lincoln town car. Staring at him with wide, wondering eyes he said gloomily, I am going to Afghanistan. My first words were, What? No! As I choked the words out, a rush of emotions flooded my whole body; emotions like fear, anger, sadness, and confusion. Ill be leaving soon, in the next 2 months. I was coming up on my senior year of high school and I knew it was going to be hard with my Dad not being there. While in Afghanistan, Dad would send emails with all kinds of pictures of him and his work place. I so much enjoyed seeing him and knowing he was ok. There was always the thought in the back of your head about a bombing happening or when being transported my Dad being hit by an IED. Hey Dad! It was one of his rare phone calls. Hey Hounddog. That was my nickname from him for as long as I can remember, it came from the Elvis song. I had a question on my mind for a while that I was worried about, so I asked, Dad, are you going to be able to make it for my graduation? Its on May 15th. A little pause from my Dad and then he said, Well, Im not sure We dont know

the date we are supposed to ship out on, so I have no idea at this moment. I felt sick; every kid wants their parents to be at their graduation. My Dad is my Hero and I desperately wanted him there. Months went by with wondering and the stress of not knowing was really getting to me. RIIIING, RIIIING, RIIII. Hello? Hey Anna, its Dad! I hadnt heard from Dad on the phone in a while, so I was quite excited to hear from him. Hey Dad! How are you doing? Still sounding very chipper Dad replied, Im doing fairly well. I have some news for you. I thought, Oh God, he knows when hes coming back. Hes not going to be able to make it, I just know it.. Dad interrupted my thoughts with the news, It looks like we are going to fly in around April 20th for our debriefing, so I should be home about a week before your graduation. Joy filled my soul! No way! Dad that's awesome! Im so glad! Dad quickly and happily replied, Me too Hounddog. Like said before, even when my Dad was far away, distance never changed our relationships with him. In an article, a Dr. Popenoe said, Involved fathers bring positive benefits to their children that no other person is as likely to bring. (Rosenberg) These words from Dr. Popenoe ring so true. The fact that the miles between us didnt negatively affect the involvement and influence my Dad had upon our lives says something. My Dad is the main person that has showed me firsthand the commitment and faithfulness and man can have to his family and country. * With my Dad being a Chaplain in the military, he has taught me many things about trust and forgiveness. With all my problems in life, he makes me sit down and evaluate the problem while taking into consideration my actions and the other persons motives. In doing so, I find myself asking can trust be restored? That can be a tough question for many. But, for me, I think it can. Yes, people continuously mess up, but dont we also? No one is perfect in this world and no one will ever be. That is part of this crazy life we live. We are going to make so many mistakes in our work, relationships, encounters, finances, and our everyday lives. Its inevitable! Some mistakes may be quite immense and detrimental than others, but its up to that person and the ones around them to forgive and forget. If someone does something that deeply hurts you, its ok to be upset, but whos to say you might not have done that same mistake? Now, trust to me has to be gradually restored. You need to protect yourself, but you also need not to become bitter and closed off. Ever remember your mom saying that notorious quote do unto others as you would have them do unto

you? That rings so true as Ive become older. You would want someone to trust you even if you have done wrongly to them. So, as you come upon this question in life, remember how important that person is to you and dont close them off from a mistake you most likely could have done yourself. With forgiveness, in my opinion, is a mental consent to withdraw any resent or anger towards someone, whilst never letting these emotions surface again. In order for these emotions to deteriorate, certain things have to happen, such as understanding, acceptance, confrontation, mercy, and then finally forgiveness. When dealing with hurt or anger towards someone it is good to accept that what they did happened; any form of denial will continue to build up and become a bitter problem later on in life. After accepting, try and be compassionate and understand why they did it; some people do things unintentionally and do not realize they have hurt you. Understanding may have to come with confrontation. Confronting the person who hurt you can help solve reasons of why that person did it; also itll let them know what they have done in order to ask for forgiveness or to reflect upon what they did. Once that is done, a little mercy may be needed. People can mistakenly do something wrong to you and never mean it. Following these phases and after all is said and taken in to consideration, the last thing to do it finally forgive. When forgiving, every detail has to be let go. Once forgiven, there is no chance of bringing back up what was once done; if so, true forgiveness has not been made. * Not only has my Dad taught me the importance of forgiveness and trust, but also has taught me the importance of a work ethic. My Dad has fervently stressed the importance of providing for yourself and ensuring that you can take care of your family once the time comes. Since attending Louisiana Tech I started a job in the Purchasing Department on the 4th floor of Keeney Hall. Purchasing! This is Anna, how may I help you? Ive said it probably a million times since starting to work at the Purchasing office. I have been here since February, but it feels like a lot longer. And that isnt a bad thing either! I actually love my job. Anna, can you run this down to comptroller? Yes maam! The only thing that gets old is the never-ending flights of stairs back up to the office from comptroller. I am so out of shape, I say every time I make it up to the office, you can always tell Im out of breath with my incessant deep gasps. One thing I love is to see the mailman. Hey! How are you doing today? The man usually responds, Not too bad, thank God its

Friday! You have a good weekend! I happily respond, You too! Bye! Days usually go by slow, but you are always entertained with array of individuals that come through though. Hey, I need a pad of purchase requisitions. I had to repeat the question in my head that the boy asked me because all I was thinking was Hes wearing a girls V-neck Aeropostale shirt And a bra. I quickly gathered my thoughts and replied, Umm, yeah! One sec, Ill get some for you! But, so far, its been a really good job. I think Ill keep it for a while. * Throughout the years I have observed that when my Dad has a lot on his mind and needs to take a break from routine, he will go outside on the 23 acres we live on and just walk. I too have come to learn that through this simple walk your mind can be freed from worry and it feels like the stress just melts away from your mind. Studies actually show that being outside considerably lowers your stress; levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate our mood, rises when we are outside, making us happier (Vindum). One of the places I tend to do this at is a place called the Dodson Place. I go there whenever Im having a hellacious day or just want some peace and quite. Reflecting upon my visits to the Dodson place brings vivid images to me. As I stand in the middle of the field, memories flood my mind. Memories that are from my childhood of carefree days when I used to go fishing with my grandfather, or as I like to call him Tataw, and more recent memories of fixing up the place with my Tataw, father, and sister. I share countless memories here. It is 250 acres filled with tall Bermuda grass, hardwood trees, fish infested ponds, and endless adventure. I love this place and I feel like it loves me too. I have put hard work into that land by clearing and mending fences, trimming limbs, fixing roads, and cleaning up fallen trees. I am proud of this land and I am honored that one day it will be my sisters and mine. This place has been a refuge for me; a place that I know will always be there for me when I need it. The pond radiates peace when the sun shines on it and when it glistens to every ripple. When the trees sway the to wind it sounds like music to my ears and the birds harmonize with that sweet sound. The grass dances back and forth like children do when playing ring-around-the-rosie. I absolutely adore this place and I hope when I have beautiful children of my own, they will feel the same. * My Dad has showed me how to be the person I hope to be in life.

He continues to amaze me with the dedication and perseverance he has in his career, walk with God, family, and relationships. He has taught me to work for what I have, strive for the absolute best, and never to give up on something that you want in your life. He has taught me to forgive people, because no one is perfect and no one will ever be. My Dad is the embodiment of a wonderful father, husband, and leader and I hope that when I marry that special one that he too will posses the wonderful characteristics of my Dad.

References
Rosenberg, Jeffrey, and Bradford W. Wilcox. "The Importance of Fathers in the Healthy Development of Children." Fathers and Their Impact on Children's Well-Being. N.p., 2006. https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/ fatherhood/chaptertwo.cfm. 20 Oct. 2013. Sabrina. "The Fatherless Generation." The Fatherless Generation. N.p., 23 Apr. 2010. http://thefatherlessgeneration.wordpress.com. 20 Oct. 2013. Vindum, Tina. "Reduce Stress in the Great Outdoors." Athleta Chi. N.p., 23 Feb. 2011. http://www.athleta.net/2011/02/23/reduce-stressin-the-great-outdoors/. 20 Oct. 2013.