Bring Your Dad to Work Day

A year ago and beyond, I habitually called my dad on Sundays to chat and catch up on any news. He resided in a cozy cabin on a magical, picturesque plot of land in a poor rural county of Ohio, set in the middle of Amish country, surrounded by land and trees and deer. Saying he had a sizeable vegetable garden is an understatement; I have never seen one so large on a personal homestead. Our phone conversations were dominated by his time spent in his garden - prepping the hard clay soil, planting, weeding, picking out stones, harvesting and trucking the abundance to his local foodbank, his charity of choice. We’d talk about the weather, and the economy, and health, and they all connected back to his garden. He always liked to say how dirt from the garden isn’t dirty. The garden, the surrounding air, sounds of animals and insects were all part of his soul. It was his life passion at this stage in his journey. The path of his journey has taken a significant turn in recent months, leading to the sale of his home, uprooting him from Ohio to the Northeast to be near family, and residing in a new place under someone else’s roof. With no garden at hand, and very little to occupy his time (until he finds a new groove!), he shares that he longs for the garden dirt again. So, as a gardener, I took the opportunity to bring him to work with me yesterday. Intent on perfecting the grounds of my customer’s yard, he set to work weeding and raking, whistling and telling stories, getting his hands dirty and filling his heart with joy. He was great company for me, as I mostly work solo. It’s a simple gesture:daddy-daughter work day has got to come again soon.