Legacy

Today is Father's Day. As I was thinking about how much I love my dad, I realized that the line doesn't stop with him. I have been so blessed to have multiple examples of great fathers in my life. I am privileged to be loved and supported by the men in my family who have shown me in tangible ways what honor, respect, loyalty and character look like.

My Papaw was a man who, to me, defined the word enthusiasm. He fiercely loved us. When we were little he would hug us so tight that you thought your back was going to snap in half every time he saw you because he was so excited you were there. My parents laughingly tell the story of the time they went to visit when my sister Mandi was a baby. Papaw was so excited about her he came out to get her from the car and ran back inside, leaving my parents locked outside in the rain. He loved in tangible ways and raised his sons to do the same. He lived, and loved, enthusiastically. 

If I were to sum up my Uncle Richard in a word it would be relatable. No matter my age and stage in life, he always genuinely makes me feel as if what I say and think is important. Even when I was little he would look me in the eye, ask me questions and listen fully to what I had to say. I feel like he has the ability to get on someone's level effortlessly and make those around him feel comfortable and comforted. Having the ability to patiently make people feel heard is a gift, and one I have been glad to be on the receiving end of many times. 

My Uncle Robert embodies the word genuine. I have never seen him try to be someone that he isn't. He takes all the pieces of himself, fits them together and presents it to the world. I have also seen him grow through the years. While some people can take on a "this is me, deal with it" attitude, he takes on the "this is me as I work to become better for those around me" attitude. This is something that I hope to emulate in my life and something that I have been honored to witness in his. 

My Bebo is the word compassion. All my life people have told me how lucky I am to be related to Homer Hanna Jr and I have never doubted it for a minute. If you want an example of someone living the life of a biblical servant, it's my Bebo. He loves people, respects them, and goes out of his way to make those around him feel like they are seen. Whether it is by squiring my Grandmommy around as she antiques, calling the waiter by their name, taking someone fishing, or striking up conversation with a stranger, my Bebo makes everyone, from the prominent to the unseen feel worthwhile. I have never, not even for a second, doubted how much I am worth to him and loved by him. 

My Uncle Ben is characterized by the word willing. As I have grown up his family has not always lived close to mine, but when he could, he was always willing to show up. He has always been willing to make the effort for me and those around him, constantly seeking out ways to reach out to those who are unseen or unheard. If I ever felt awkward in a family gathering, that always seemed to be the moment he would find me and want to connect to where I was in that stage of my life. I feel like he goes the extra mile and takes the extra step to be sure that those around him feel supported and loved. 

My Uncle Jerry embodies the word respect. I never hear him say anything about anyone or anything that isn't edifying. I remember talking to him once when I was about 12 and coming to the realization that the way he spoke about people and to people was honorable. He has always treated me like I am the best version of myself, even when I am having an off day. I always come away feeling a little taller and lighter somehow.
Then there is my brother-in-law Jake. If I had to use one word to describe Jake it would be caring. Jake has stepped in and stepped up in too many ways to count since joining our family. He has become one of my people, one of the ones I feel like I can go to about anything and he will hear me out, tell me I'm not crazy and make me laugh along the way. I think that it is pretty incredible that my best friend (my sister) somehow married someone who has also become one of my best friends. I feel so blessed to get to be a part of their journey. 

Hero. That is the word I use to describe my dad, but he is much more a Hercules than a Spider-Man. In some stories the hero becomes that way by chance and then makes the most of it when the circumstances arise; but in some stories the hero isn't made that way by chance but by challenge. This is why I say he is more a Hercules. He has not only risen to the circumstances but overcome the challenges along the way. He is someone that I can rely on no matter what. When I need someone to stand firmly beside me, he is there. When I need someone to fight for me, he takes up the cause. I know that when I need him, he is there; unflinchingly willing to rise to the occasion. He is willing to coach me, cheer for me, console me, challenge me, comfort me and connect with me. He shows up, and is, in big ways and small ways, my hero. 

All these aspects and words are wonderful, but each one of these men have done something even more important for me. They model Christ. Each one of them relies not on self, but on a Savior who they each put first in their lives. This has been the most important word that they all embody; Christian. They all seek to live out their faith and connect the world they see with the God they know. I see it in the way they treat their families, go about their jobs, and interact with the world. All of these men are part of a legacy they seek to share and enrich by including those around them. I am blessed to know them, blessed to see the ways they impact the world and blessed to be one of the lucky ones they call family. I see the legacy living on in my cousins Jordan, Micah, Ben, Brady, Jake and Caleb as they are all in different stages of becoming the God-honoring men I know they will be, and in many ways already are.  I am excited to see this legacy continue in my nephew Jackson as he grows up.
So this father's day, I am reminded that I am so thankful for my father, and to all the other fathers I am blessed to get to call family because they listen to their heavenly father while seeking to do his will.