Dad, March 31, 2020
You are absolutely amazing – and I pinch myself often to think that of all the places I could be born into the world, somehow I won the lottery with you (and mom – but that’s a subject for another letter). I can’t express in words the depth of gratitude and love I feel for being your son and having your tutelage and support – so get ready for imperfection. As you celebrate birthday number 79 – here are just 79 of the reasons I love you and count my blessings to be part of your remarkable posterity.
1. You are still alive! Seriously, who else has fought off and through so many health challenges in their life? This has enabled your grandchildren to know the amazing man I know
2. You have good taste in women. Thankfully I take after you in this category.
3. You are doggedly determined. Which is the only way you were able to land your biggest catch – Mom.
4. You let the missionaries back in after having kicked them out. That’s humility.
5. You listened to the spirit when it said leave your job, your home, and your extended family to go to a place where you had no job, no school admittance and no place to live. And the Lord delivered. What a legacy of faith for us to follow. Love that.
6. You were willing to ‘give away all your sins’ to know HIM. Including Coffee.
7. You came from a challenged home (with divorce) and broke the cycle – setting an example of patience, temperance, and love unfeigned for your posterity.
8. You have eyeballs on different horizontal planes – meaning you can see things in a way no one else can. And spiritually I think that has been true too.
9. You have good taste in milk. Even if you didn’t always share it (😊)
10. You taught your children how to work. Today your grandchildren are reaping the benefit of that gift.
11. You set an example of church service – sitting up in front of us for decades in leadership roles. Who knew I would literally follow that lead?
12. You lead with humility – no one ever feels, when around you, that you are preaching down to them. Rather you have a way of communicating on the level of those you teach, and lifting them up.
13. You literally – and figuratively, put your shoes on the rostrum – as a sign that you were committed to God.
14. You found me and picked me up on Route 290 in the freezing rain as I walked home with my backpack from the Ences and felt hypothermia coming on. And forgave me my offence. I know this because you both hugged me AND bought me pizza.
15. You championed with mom my opportunity to play football. So many great life lessons I learned because of that. After I got past the liver and onion test from mom.
16. You taught me never to settle for ‘just ok’. If a job was to be done – it needed to be done right.
17. You made the effort to gather the family for Home Evening, even though many a night it was pure chaos. Its remarkable to see all the good that came from your (and mom’s) resilience through those nights.
18. You flew to Princeton with Aaron to see my last ever (College) football game. In the freezing rain. ‘
19. You dressed up like a bunch of grapes and lip-synched “Grape Vine” with your bishopric. Hilarious. Later I would do the same (different tune) with my stake presidency.
20. You are a poet – and have inspired me to do likewise.
21. You loved the tenor sax – and inspired me to play it.
22. You taught me how to play chess – and even let me beat you once in a while.
23. You let me bring my young men’s Priest Quorum to Northboro where you let them shoot at the range and tour your stealth undercover van. What cooler PQ activity is there?
24. You chose Danny Ainge and Greg Kite for counselors. No YM ever wanted to miss an activity – just in case they might show up. I didn’t. And I never saw Danny attend one – although one time I did dance with his wife 😊
25. You were innovative! Mass Police Dept accred.
26. You taught us to continue learning – (FBI academy)
27. You wrote to me every week of my mission. I waited for those letters with eager anticipation – head and shoulders the best and most entertaining I ever received. By the way – that was the inspiration for what has now become a life-long habit of writing to our children every week.
28. You challenged me to still be able to dunk when I turned 40. I did so at 50. Gracias.
29. You danced with mom in the kitchen. I now find joy pursuing that same here.
30. You shared the “This is Good” story with us. Legendary.
31. You survived a bear attack, getting shot in the woods, and falling off a bridge. Clearly God had and has a work for you to do.
32. You also have survived (so far) your granddaughter Naomi, who drinks your grape juice, lures you into being far too sarcastic, and promised you would find out before me when she is engaged.
33. You took me deep sea fishing, and when we were all getting sick told us about how in 3 years of Navy service you never once got sick. Then you did. Loved that.
34. You were friends with President Hinckley. And he spoke about you in General Conference.
35. You gave me a powerful blessing before I headed off to College.
36. And then another before I got married.
37. And then one more when called as Bishop.
38. And Stake President.
39. And – most impactful – when called as a 70, but not being able to tell you yet, and suffering greatly with heart and health challenges you blessed me to rise up and go to work. It was a gift.
40. You are a Patriarch! And have blessed our children.
41. You won’t make a living singing, but it doesn’t stop you from doing it anyways.
42. When you forgot to ask someone to conduct the music with the Prophet on the stand, you just did it yourself even though you didn’t know how. Fearless.
43. When called as a bishop you immediately left for two weeks to be with the boys at scout camp. You knew then what we’re trying to teach bishops today. Bishops ARE the YM President.
44. After finding out I had skipped school on my bike and ridden to Worcester you never said anything to me. When I found that out I resolved never again to disappoint you.
45. You love to have dance parties with Moriah
46. You encouraged, supported, and attended every one of the saving ordinances I needed in mortality.
47. You own a sickle and a sword. Woah.
48. You took us to the beach to shoot off (very illegal) fireworks in MA. That you had confiscated from others.
49. You brought me to a Red Sox, Celtics, and almost a Patriots game. Hooked me.
50. You love your grandchildren – and point them to Christ.
51. You taught me how to fix things and ‘do it myself’.
52. You wore a long hair, a leather jacket and drove a motorcycle to work. Even if it was just a disguise.
53. After not seeing you for days I found you --on the front page of the newspaper catching bad guys when I was folding up my papers.
54. You were a temple focused Stake President
55. You became a Mission President.
56. You served as a Temple President and taught me that until you know ‘the next time you are going to be in the temple, the temple is not sufficiently a part of your life”. Such impactful counsel.
57. You are still a little boy even though you are old. That’s my goal too.
58. You love the Scriptures and teach from them
59. You still magnify your calling with what strength you have, even though its less than it once was, and remind me and all of the need to lift where we stand, and to give what we have.
60. You patiently run the race set before you – not focused on the why of certain adversities, but dealing with the how and focused on what good you can now do.
61. You gave me the greatest (so far) Christmas memory of my life – the night we brought the desks home we made for Ben and Aaron – with me riding in the trailer that came unhitched on the drive home. Classic.
62. You can water ski with just one ski.
63. You are impossible to beat at Scrabble.
64. You taught me important lessons in memorable ways. Like that time I begged you to handcuff me and then you did – to the stair railing as you left on your date. And there I stayed until you got back. Never asked for that again.
65. You played the sock game with us in the Lakewood basement
66. You wanted to go first over the horizon with a sled (only to learn it was a cliff with rocks at the bottom)
67. You have made the effort and prioritized being the sealer at all three of our married children’s weddings.
68. You threw out a first pitch at Fenway Park. Twice.
69. You taught me how to fish.
70. You read to your grandchildren. Now I do too.
71. You love others unconditionally, just like the Savior.
72. Largely through your works and example, you have a righteous posterity – and from the time you first departed on a mission (2003) the sun has never set without a called missionary among you and your posterity.
73. You snuck out of sacrament meeting with me in Denver in 1977 when the Broncos made the Superbowl so I could watch it.
74. You let me take some of your best ties.
75. You came to cheer me up when I was in the hospital for extended stays.
76. When my faith has worn low – you have stoked it back up with your own.
77. You have given me a glimpse of who Heavenly Father is, and confidence I can put my trust in him continually.
78. You keep covenants.
79. I’m especially glad you aren’t 80 yet. Not because I don’t have more to say – I’m just tired of typing.
---Love Rich
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