Sunday, June 21, 2009

Happy Father's Day!

Today was a relatively sunny day in a string of cloudy, overcast days here in (supposedly sunny) San Diego. And it is also Father's Day!

It's been a pretty low-key day and my father (who never takes a day to stop working because there's always something to clean or fix around our house) has - hopefully - been enjoying himself.

Here are some chocolate covered strawberries I made today to celebrate the holiday!




My dad plays a very unique role in my life. Sometimes I feel most similar to my father than anyone else in my family. Its from him that I think I get my appreciation for things such as classical music and art. I'm more inclined toward creativity, such as my father, rather than methodical and calculated approaches towards situations.

But the trait I most enjoy that I've inherited from my father is my natural pessimism. Now, If I had to classify myself as an optimist or pessimist, I would say optimist. But underlying that cheery outlook on life, is my natural negativity that causes me to always see the worst case scenario that can arise from specific situations. For example, what if I fail my German class? Or, if I'm going on a trip, what happens if I lose a contact lens?
When making plans, I always identify these negatives. And then I worry about these negatives.

Now why would this be a good trait for my father and myself?

I see it as an asset. Because of this natural, underlying pessimism, my dad and I never rush headlong into situations without first assessing all the negatives - and then preparing for them. We clear the path before sprinting ahead. So if I fear I may fail my German class - I study harder. Or, if I'm afraid of loosing a contact lens, I pack extra.

Don't get me wrong. Spontaneity is great, but so is planning ahead (at least within reason).

I'm glad to be my father's daughter. Aside from the excellent parenting he has provided to me over the years, I would be nowhere without this healthy dose of natural pessimism that I learned from him. Love you, Dad!

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