In the midst of being thankful, cooking a family feast, and celebrating with my husband's family, there has been a lot going on with my very own blood relatives on the opposite coast. When I made the move across the country 6 years ago, I never imagined the worry and anxiety I would feel periodically about how my own parents and sister are faring in life. Ridiculous, I know. I dedicate this post to my father! My dad has owned and run his own restaurant for 24 years. I respect him immensely, even though I haven't agreed with every decision he's made. I love him. He's the man that always told me I could do whatever I set my mind to! He's the man that taught me life isn't always easy, but if you work hard, and treat people kindly, good things will come. He's also the man who has run his restaurant sans a computer and works 7 days a week, constantly spinning his wheels. He's also the man who hasn't taken a true vacation in probably 15 years (maybe more). With all that being said, his life is about to change drastically, hopefully for the better because he's finally stepping into the 21st century. My sister and I have taken it upon ourselves to just buy him a computer and get him set up so that he can make some changes to his business, and hopefully be able to slow down a bit. I guess because I consider myself a life long learner, I am constantly learning new things and embrace change. This I'm sure I did not learn from my father. We've been trying to convince him to get "computerized" for a decade. Easier said then done. Well... "V" for VICTORY because this past weekend my sister took my dad to the Apple Store and he's entered a whole new world!!!!! I'm proud of him for embracing this new technology and can't wait for him to see how much easier his work life will become.
Running a restaurant is no easy feat. I've watched first-hand how other people's enjoyment in dining out is my father's daily grind to make sure it is enjoyable. And doing this alone is definitely no easy feat. Even though I worry about my dad, and think of him everyday, I know that he's a workhorse and perseveres through the toughest of times. I'm thankful him and my mom, even though separate now, were selfless in giving my sister and I the tools and the confidence to conquer the world, or atleast go after our dreams! Now it's our turn to help our parents. Which isn't always easy when you live 3,000 miles away. The computer will definitely help though!!!! I'll end in saying that last night when I called to wish my dad a Happy Thanksgiving, it was a relief to hear him excited about his new computer. It was a relief to hear him refreshed and looking forward to making some much needed changes to his restaurant. Most of all, it was a relief to hear him happy to join the 21st century!
