KathyLesure

Today, I want to share a little about my Father and what he means to me.❤️

My Father is a Methodist preacher: the Pastor of two CME churches for many years until his retirement. My Father is a retired Memphis City School teacher. He taught American History to High; and later years, Middle schoolers. My Father was also the Track Coach (he LOVED that title)! My Father is a Veteran of the United States Army. He served in the Vietnam War. In fact, I am told that he gave me my middle name (Lesure) after someone (or something) he met (or saw) during his deployment!

My Father is a quiet man. He’s a loner. My Grandmothers (both maternal and paternal) told me that most of the time he could be found somewhere by himself with his face in a book! 😂 (That’s ME to a “T”😁) He’s not a very tall man in physical height, but he’s always been a GIANT in stature in my eyes! I always looked up to him: literally and figuratively. I have always thought he was the smartest man I ever knew! He was and is a man of very few words, but those words have power!

My Father holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees! When I was little, I was fascinated by his office which was FILLED with books and commentaries! I liked playing in his desk and typing on his typewriter, grading papers with his red pens and reading his notes in the margins of his books (side note: I “still” keep my Momma and Daddy’s Bible books with their handwritten notes inside 🥰)!! It made me want to excel in education and in the study of the Bible as well! 📖🤓📚

And I did: graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Management!👩🏽‍🎓 I stopped short of obtaining a Master of Business in Human Resource Management when I dropped while writing my Thesis (🤦🏾‍♀️). Sidelined by work-life-home problems, but I digress.🤷🏽‍♀️

The most essential lessons I learned from my Father were:

The importance of education.

• Not just education, but also intellect and “when” to apply both.

The potency of words.

• And knowing how to use them for effect! 😉

The effectiveness of silence.

• …😐🙊

The power of God. 💪🏾🙌🏾👆🏾

• My Father was a powerful reinforcer of the lessons my Mom & Granny taught me!!

And he taught me how to drive in Memphis!!! 😂🤣😂

…..

My Dad is still a quiet man. He’s still quite the loner. He’s not the type to stand out in a crowded room, but his silence is “still” powerful! Admittedly, I don’t always understand him as well as I wish I did.😔 However, I haven’t walked a mile in his shoes. I haven’t seen the horrors that he’s seen so the lenses through which we view the world are different.😢

But I love him just the same. I am his twin in many, many ways …

And he’s STILL the smartest, most intelligent man that I have ever known! 😍

Happy Father’s Day (again), Pops!

With love, “Kathy-Tattee-Ti-Tat” ❤️