"My Father that the Lord had given me" By:Jim Gandolf

My Father that the Lord had given me

 By: Jim Gandolf

My father Robert D Gandolf passed away on July 4^th 2015 at 12:44pm Wisconsin time and my step mother called me to tell me the news. I didn’t know what to do with this news, because my father had been in a battle with cancer for the last 4 years or so. I feel Dad is in a much better place with peace. My father taught me to stand on my own two feet. I guess you can say he was my coach in my life. I have made a fool out of myself a time or two and my father was there to help along with understanding of what I did wrong. He just didn’t scream at me to create a fantastic way of saying he was right. He didn’t say to me, “Jim; you have a learning disability and can’t move ahead in life”, he made me fight to be the best at what I can be, even if I didn’t like the process, but drove me to be a man. My father had a few rules growing up: 1. never get too wasted on booze so you can’t function. You could have a drink but not get drunk. (I am sorry I have failed on that rule a time or two, growing up).  2. Look a person in the eye when you are talking to them.  3. Never get a girl pregnant while you were in high school.  4. Don’t do as he does do what he tells me (I tried that over and over, and it just didn’t work out for me).  5. If I was to date a girl while growing up; my Dad had to meet her, and after he met the young lady, if he ever said the word Baggit in the conversation, I was to never see that girl ever again. (I should have listened to him on that one).  My father was a strong opinionated man on any issue; I decided to let him rant on about world problems with a nod of my head in agreeance manner of action, saying to myself, “Whatever floats your boat Dad!” Our arguing fights of words were absolutely stubborn as all get out. Years would go by without talking to each other. I am as much at fault in that battle as well as my coach. My coach and I would try each other persona of our wits. I am very driven because of my father and his atmosphere of making me a man of diverse business action. I treat other the way I want to be treated, but stand my ground in all areas of my life. I have failed many times, but had my father and coach directing me out of my challenges I had to face. I feel that I have to be a coach to my sons and my brothers now, but with my style of coaching that was taught to me in many life challenges of my time with my own father Robert D Gandolf. My father and I would get so upset with each other at times, but on the other hand I wish I could have a few more chats with him on my own direction I am traveling in. I have character because of the stands my father made me stand for, and when I felt all was lost a few times, he took me by the hand and helped through some dark times. Yes, my coach was very tough on me. I learn how to lose and understand my loss, to win. I want to thank the Lord for choosing Robert D Gandolf for being the one, to be my Dad.  

Jim Gandolf  Author “500 Miles the Book”