I NEVER ASKED!

I’m an old fashioned kind of guy. I would say traditionalist is who I am, a man that does not defy convention. I am not a conservative in a real sense, and not a liberal, just someone who likes to hear a good argument and weight the pros and cons.

I have left the impression that I am conservative, and maybe I dress like one, but I do follow some of life’s conventions. For instance:

ISN'T SHE GEORGEOUS?

Many years ago, when I asked TLW (The Little Woman) for her hand and the rest of her in marriage, I never asked her father for her hand. That was because I knew what a great gal she is and was afraid he’d say no. That plus she had her hand already, asking her father for it would have confused everything.

But a funny thing happened, he never tried to stop me, in fact he came to the wedding!

Jim was the kind of man that made me laugh, he had opinions, moods and was in all of that a gentle soul, gentle enough for me to respect him as a man, a great father and provider, and really an embodiment of the American Dream, coming here to America from Ireland as a young man.

Today would be his birthday, and how can you not go by this day without thinking of him? He wasn’t anyone for fanfare, boasting was not in him, just the goodness he taught his children, and I was lucky enough to see in his daughter and children.

JIM (DAD)

If you met my mother-in-law Helen, you would say what a sweet woman, and you would be right, Jim was smart enough to see that. He worked two jobs to get his kids through a Catholic elementary and high school, all his children, he sacrificed and did without so they could have the education he deemed to be the best.

He was probably a liberal at heart, but washed his hands of extremism, he would probably not have accepted intolerance of any kind. He never try to impose his will on anyone or become offensive to people with his political bent. I guess people were glad to see him, but he would never know why.

My brother-in-law Steve, sister-in-laws Sara and Angela and me have been lucky, because we got to know him through his children.

We miss you Jim, we really do, but you did do something good, you left your children, and I for one am grateful.

But it occurred to me, I never asked Jim for his daughter’s hand in marriage!

Happy Birthday Jim, from the cad who married your beautiful daughter.