What an excellent post! Thank you! I find myself wondering the same exact things at times. Though I think my father was an Independent... I believe he voted Democrat most of the time. I am sure my mom did. They pushed me to research what was important to me but, more importantly, what I felt would be right for the country, state, county, town, etc. I too am a moderate Independent. I have voted for both parties equally depending on where I have lived and what I felt was needed there.

I find myself thinking about me being the age of my father now. I am 58 and he died at 62... Too short a life. My mom went on to live until she was 84... Never having a partner again in her life. I wonder if both of them felt as I do... In my head I am still about 35 but with more wisdom. My body is failing gradually with age. Arthritis is creeping in and I am definitely feeling older and approach life a bit more cautiously now that I have discovered the box of Kryptonite and realize I am not bulletproof anymore.

You have me now wanting to go through all the pictures I have and finding one of me and my dad together.

There are a few songs that remind me of my dad... Several 70's hits that I would play over and over on the jukebox as a kid at the local pizza place he would take us to. But Old Man by Neil Young is probably the closest to my heart.

The Golden Rule is the best, only real important thing to instil in children. Good on you and your father for leading by example and leaving that indelible impression.

Thank you for sharing. I lost my father in 1980. He was only 55. I miss him
every day.

Thank u for typing this . And for the pic .
I feel every word u typed . Smile . Your dad is always w u in your mind . And this is a good thing for u ♥️.
Mine lives in the back seat of my car since 2008. He can hear me cuss at traffic , and he drinks coffee w me at breaks at work . He is my best friend , dead or alive , he was a mother and a father , a socialist and an atheist , and the most generous human I have ever met , time , emotions , and goodies ways . He was smart and weird , a bit eccentric and a definitely ahead of his time . On nowdays , I find self advising the younger ones , starting phrases with “ well , my father used to say ..”.
Pass the goodness of your father on to the next humans . That’s all we got , share ♥️♥️

You just wrote about me and my Dad, minus the golfing. did a lot of bank fishing because he never bought a boat. he always talked about doing it though. Lots of good conversations. Moved back to Longview TX where he had retired to. My Mom died the day i was headed there from Tulsa. WE had lots of time together. I sat beside his bed at home while he took his lasy breathes. Nothing prepares you for that.

I think your dad seems to be an honorable man no matter of his conservative convictions. He was just a product of his time.

Thanks for posting this (tear in my eye)

I think many of us try to be opposite of what we saw as parental failures. It's what my brother and I have done. We've each taken it in differing directions. There were some good qualities in our folks but entirely too many bad ones. We still love them but sometimes they make it difficult.

Beautiful story of your and your father! Mine was born in 1910 and was also a republican. It was a different republican party then. My father was progressive for his time as he would say that you vote for who is best an not who is in your party. He also would say that insurance is legalized organized crime which is as relevant today as it was back in his day!

Fathers are either good or bad, maybe a few in between!!!

I have found and seen most fathers care too be judgmental and harsh towards their children.

You seen to be somewhat lucky in your relationship with your father?

Fathers are products of their parents, hence to have so many traits or is it too many mannerisms of their fathers who were dominant within the family, there are a lot of dominant mothers who created good and some create overt havoc for their children!!!

Lovely picture of you and your dad. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about him with us. Now I'm going to go and find that song.

And I'm certain he would be proud of you.

Your dad sounds like a great guy. My dad was one too. We saw eye to eye on politics but my father was much more conciliatory than I am. He was a nicer guy than me. You probably are too. I'm an angry cuss but I've mellowed out in my old age. Beautiful pic of you and dad. He shaped the guy you are. I know Lemoyne. My old girlfriend lived in Mechanicsburg. I live in Philly. I see you went to PCA. I'm Joe. Good to know you.

Thank you for sharing this. I think I've judged my father so harshly most of my life. I adored him when I was a child. He was a minister, and a very kind man. But when I reached my teens I began to realize he was not perfect and I became so angry with him for it. I felt he should be just like Jesus since that's what he preached. Now as an adult I realize he's just a man and he did the best he could.

We don’t realise until we lose them...just how much we owe to our parents and how their views and attitudes have helped to shape the people we have become. Even when we’re determined not to repeat traits that we didn’t like in them, sometimes we can’t help ourselves becoming very similar to them as we get older. I think we all wish we could have the chance to go back and discuss things with our parents, sometimes to say or do things left unsaid. Our younger selves don’t have the wisdom to understand that most good parents only want what’s best for us, and this can often lead to estrangement and a clash of views and wills. I think this happens between all generations, and as our children take our place as the young generation, so we take the place of our parents as the elders. It sounds though like your father passed on the most important things in life to you...good character, and a lot of love, which is obvious from the fond way you speak of his memory.

Beautiful thoughts. So many questions and opportunities are missed in our lifetime. Cherish what you did have with him. When he was present in your life, you had a different mentality and priorities; not the same as today. You can't condemn yourself in any way for things you did not do or ask if those things never crossed your mind while he was alive. That is such a great pic.
Now i am going to listen to the songs you just mentioned. ❣

awwwww touching they said it in breakfast club ...as we age we become our parents even if we don't wanna....thing is we either become them or the total opposite

My father became a much better person in the decade before he died. He wasn't as judgmental and my mother told me he always wanted to be more generous with me than she was. Neither understood that I had aspergers, even though he was a doctor, this led to a miserable childhood.