Now that my mother is selling her home and living with her new

boyfriend, she gave me all of our family photos. I came across my sport scrapbook. My Dad and I were very close. He was my life coach as well as my athletic coach. He taught me everything I know about handy work and automobiles. I wish I could say I'm making him proud, but I don't believe I am. I wish I had the opportunity to have him walk me down the aisle one day and to hold his first grandchild. He never got to experience any of it. I wish I could have been a different type of person for him. I know if he heard me, he'd tell me otherwise, but he's the only person in my life that I wanted to make proud.

This photo is from 1996. I was 12 years old.