Me and You, Dad

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As a child, I never once heard my father say “I love you.”

I never doubted that he did; he was simply raised by an unaffectionate man.

As an adult, I never ended a conversation with my father without telling him I loved him. “Me and you, son” was his standard response. Then, one day–I must have been around 30 years old–I ended our weekly call with my standard “Love you, Dad” and much to my surprise, he replied, “Love you too, son.”

It ain’t easy raising parents; they think they know everything. Teaching my dad that it was okay to say I love you took time, but it was worth it. For the rest of his life, he never ended a conversation without telling me he loved me.

Me and you Dad. Me and you.

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Photo credit: Jackie Summers