Mom had me (only) with my dad, and several other siblings with more than 1 other dad.q

The man who came to be known as "dad" to us never had any biological children. He spent hours on hours working hard at construction sites and quarries for us. He still came home ready to play with us, and take us dirt-biking or 4-wheeling. He taught me how to find crawfish, and cast a fishing line. He brought us to the soup kitchen to help other people. He taught us responsible firearm safety and care. He took us on long drives, to explain the area we grew up in. He never seemed afraid. He told me once, "be a friend to everyone. Everyone needs help. And you should help them if you can." He treated my mom like a goddess, despite her medical and mental health issues... In hindsight, he was an absolute legend, and I didn't give him enough credit growing up. He taught all of us empathy.

I wanted to learn guitar. It took him a few months, but he bought me a guitar, and sat with me as I practiced, counting beats for me. Us kids wanted to hike up a small mountain near home. He bought tents, lights, and food for us, and took us on an adventure. We wanted fireworks, he drove out of state to grab them, and made it feel like the 4th of July, in the cold of November

Ouch. Haven't thought about this for years. Miss him a lot.

The title of "dad" isn't given. It's earned. It's easy to become a "father". It's not easy to be a "dad".