Hey ,

My Dad will be 91 years old this year and I recently traveled to spend some time with him.

He's aging. It's hard. My strong smart daddy doesn't have the capability he used to have and I've had to take over a lot of responsibilities for him.

One thing I do enjoy is our waffle dates at local diners. I don't care that the food is not healthy. The memories are precious and that's what I will cherish.

It's hard for me sometimes to release some of the pain I carry from my years growing up.  His broken promises, his preference to spend time away from me and mom, the lack of family vacations, and his general unavailability.

What I can focus on now is the sacrifices he made so that I could be educated and safe. How hard it was for him as a Black man trying to make it in a world of racial discrimination. How he worked 2 jobs so that he could own his own home and send me to private school.

He wasn't perfect. But he did the best he could, the best he knew how and for that, I am grateful that I get to make those sacrifices for him now.

Some folks had the perfect dad and other's had dads who struggled. Regardless of your relationship with your dad, I know it helps to get a broader perspective so that we can move past the hurts and focus on the happy.

Here's me and daddy enjoying waffles last weekend. My intention each time I see my dad is to make sure that we eat, laugh, and remember the fun times of the past.