The man I am today

Dad, you taught me everything I know,

From throwin’ a ball to takin’ life slow.

Form Baseball to football, even shootin’ hoops,

But more than that, you taught me the truth.

Like how to shake a hand, how to stand up tall,

How to get back up after takin’ a fall.

I watched you work when you were dead tired,

Givin’ up your dreams so I could climb higher.

You never made a big deal out of your pain,

You just smiled and said, “Son, that’s the game.”

Took me fishin’, took me huntin’ in the cold,

Taught me how to handle life and carry the load.

Now you're slowin’ down, I can see it in your walk,

But your voice still hits strong when we talk.

You’re the reason I know right from wrong,

Why I turn to the Lord when the nights get long.

Every sacrifice, every price you paid,

Built the man standin’ here today.

You always said, “Without God, you’ve got nothin’,”

And I carry that with me like it’s somethin’.

The way you prayed when you thought no one heard,

Taught me more than any spoken word.

You never asked for thanks or made a fuss,

But you gave your best, and you gave it to us.

Now you're slowin’ down, I can see it in your step,

But your love's still strong as it ever gets.

You're the reason I don’t walk away,

When life gets hard and skies turn gray.

I may not say it every single day,

But Dad, you made me the man I am today.

One day, if I’ve got a boy of my own,

I’ll show him what I learned in this home.

How to live with heart, how to work with pride,

How to keep the Lord walkin’ by your side.

Now you're slowin’ down, and it hurts to see,

But you still mean the world to me.

You're the reason I stand, the reason I pray,

The reason I try to do things the right way.

I hope I’m half the man you are someday…

Yeah, Dad, you made me the man I am today.

You may not hear it all the time I should’ve said...

But thank you, Dad — for everything you did.