I have a really good dad. I know I’m a little late to the party with the public praise of my father, seeing as how Father’s Day was several days ago. But here recently I’ve spent quite a bit more time with him than usual. I’ve lived all over the country, and so seeing family is more rare than I’d like it to be. My dad has been remarkably consistent, though. And I’m in the stage of life where we can be friends. Which is really cool.

When I was a kid, I thought he was Superman. I’ve got one of those dads who can build a house all by himself. Construction, electrical, plumbing, roofing, whatever. Additionally, he’s the best ping pong player I’ve ever seen, has a deadly jump shot, and can make a whiffle ball dance in ways that defies physics. And to top it all off, he’s a great husband to my mom, a great father to his kids, and an even better grandpa to his grandkids.

I realize how lucky I am to have him. The statistics aren’t a secret. There are tons of kids who grow up every day without a father present in their lives. Or a father who IS present, but doesn’t take his dad duty seriously enough and wrecks the people around him. My dad’s character traits put me in rarified air. I have the serious fortune of continuing to grow my relationship with him in deep, meaningful ways.

The other day, he and I finished a project we were working on at my house. For those of you who don’t know, we have sold our home. And if you’ve ever sold a home, you know how terrifying home inspections can be. Mine came back with a handful of things that needed done, so he walked me through a bunch of tasks as I continued to marvel at how much he knew, how intuitive he was, and how resourceful he is. Once he finished and went home, he sent me a short text that may seem like nothing to you, but meant everything to me.

“I really enjoyed working with you.”

I heard once that in being a father, you have two options: you can be a hero, or you can be a scoundrel. It’s a hard line, too. And the choice is yours to make. You can make time for your kids and show them you love them, or you can ignore your responsibilities and selfishly sink into laziness. I am so thankful to have a dad who chose the former.

Confidence is not my strong suit. But that six-word text put a smile on my face and told me I had done a good job. It told me my dad cared about my wellbeing, cared about my self-esteem. It told me I have a father who treats me with kindness, gentleness, and understanding. That’s what a hero does.

A scoundrel tells his son to deal with it himself, or makes fun of him for not knowing what he, himself, knows. A scoundrel ignores his son. But my dad is not a scoundrel. I am who I am today because of him. And it’s not an oversell to say I know my Father in heaven loves me because my father in Missouri loves me, too.

My dad has taught me a lot of lessons over the years. But none greater than that. Thanks, Dad. I enjoyed working with you, too. Cheers.