My dad was a fixer of everything. Probably 30 years ago he made these little wood boxes to hold jewelry bags for each jewelers work bench. He couldn't find the right size and shape, and then he needed various colors. Ones for setters, ones for polishers, and one for the jewelers.
My dad made EVERYTHING with his hands... kitchens, bathrooms, beautiful wood tables, cheese plates, walk in wine refrigerators, school projects, wood boxes, and burnished all of them with his personal seal, "Made By Jake Cohen."
After he retired, people still asked him for those boxes. As I walked around the city yesterday, I came across many. It reminded me of how he is still so very present in many aspects of my life. My dad wasn't the life of the party or the fun guy. He was reliable, loyal, and present. Maybe it's because I am going to Miami today for the first since he died or maybe because I simply miss him... or the 100 DM's I got for sharing his boxes... but either way, my message to you today is always love, hug, and be present.
Our relationship wasn't perfect... no one's is, but I can look at my memories of him, with me and Julia and know he felt loved and I felt loved back and that is pretty powerful.
We are all flawed and one day you will see your parents flaws, get over them... love them... because they love you, and one day their signature might be staring you in the face and you want to embrace it and hug it and never have any regrets.
XOXO, Jackie