Okay, so, I was reading this book, right? And this character, Blake Burke, he had a complicated relationship with his dad. It got me thinking, what if I tried to understand my own dad a bit better, you know, just to see what makes him tick?
So I started with this idea. I decided to like, shadow my dad for a day. Just follow him around, see what he does, not in a creepy way, but like, with his permission.
First thing I did was ask him. I was kinda nervous, not gonna lie. I was like, “Dad, can I, uh, just hang out with you for a day? Like, see what you do?” He looked at me weird, but he said yes.
The next day, I got up early, even though it was a Saturday. My dad, he’s an early bird. He was already up, making coffee. I just kind of stood there awkwardly, you know, not really knowing what to do.
- Observe: I watched him make coffee. He does it the same way every day. It’s kind of like a ritual.
- Engage: I tried to talk to him, but he’s not much of a morning person. I got a few grunts, but that was about it.
- Reflect: I realized that maybe mornings aren’t the best time to try and bond with my dad.
Then he went to work in the garage. He’s always tinkering with something. I just sat on a stool and watched him. I tried to ask him questions about what he was doing, but he just kind of shrugged and kept working.
- Observe: He’s really focused when he’s working on a project. I don’t think he even noticed I was there half the time.
- Engage: I offered to help, but he said no. I guess he has his own way of doing things.
- Reflect: Maybe my dad just likes to be left alone when he’s working. It’s his way of relaxing, I guess.
Later, we had lunch. We didn’t talk much. Just ate in silence. I felt like I was failing at this whole thing.
- Observe: My dad’s a quiet guy. He doesn’t really talk much, especially during meals.
- Engage: I tried to start a conversation, but it just kind of fizzled out.
- Reflect: Maybe I need to find a different way to connect with him.
In the afternoon, he watched a game on TV. I sat with him, even though I don’t really like sports. He got really into it, yelling at the TV and stuff. It was kind of funny.
- Observe: He’s really passionate about his favorite team. I’ve never seen him get so animated.
- Engage: I asked him about the game, and he actually started talking to me, explaining the rules and stuff.
- Reflect: Maybe sports is the key to understanding my dad.
The Breakthrough
After the game, we went for a walk. We didn’t talk much, but it was nice just being outside together. Then, out of nowhere, he started talking about his day. He told me about a problem he was having at work, and how he was trying to fix it. I just listened.
- Observe: He seemed more relaxed after the walk. Maybe he just needed to unwind.
- Engage: I didn’t interrupt him. I just let him talk.
- Reflect: Maybe all my dad needed was someone to listen to him.
By the end of the day, I felt like I understood my dad a little bit better. He’s not a big talker, but he has his own way of showing he cares. And maybe, just maybe, I learned something about myself, too.
It wasn’t easy, but I’m glad I did it. It’s like, I saw a different side of him, you know? He’s not just my dad, he’s a person, with his own thoughts and feelings. And I think that’s pretty cool.
So, yeah, that was my day trying to understand my dad. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start. Maybe I’ll try it again sometime. Maybe I’ll even try to talk to him about Blake Burke. Who knows?
