Miracle in Elementary: Learning About Dad
I’m remembering Dad through a series of posts. This time, I remember him through a miracle I had in elementary school.
I hope you will understand me a bit more in how I remember Dad and his influence on me.
This article will take you about two minutes to read.
Introduction
Growing up, I did not know what Dad did for a living. He was out most of the time and Mom took care of us.
One day in class, we had to present what our dads did. The assignment was to do a short presentation in front of everyone.
When I thought about what Dad did, I had no idea. I barely saw him. Comparing him to jobs I did see people do, like:
- fireman
- policeman
- mailman
He didn’t fit those jobs at all. Those jobs uses certain equipment and Dad never had that equipment with him ever.
So, I had no idea what he did based on this.
I didn’t ask Dad what he did because he wasn’t around. I tried to ask Mom but she was sick and sleeping at the time.
Winging It
I went with my understanding and decided to “wing it”. Who knows, maybe something will come to me?
As I sat, I saw others present their dad’s job and it made sense. I kept avoiding my turn because well, I had nothing.
While I was voiding not speaking, I was also hoping for a miracle, like we would run out of time and I didn’t have to speak at all.
Waiting for Miracle
That miracle didn’t happen and I was the only one left. I realize I didn’t know anything about Dad and compared to my classmates, I couldn’t make anything up. Being last made me even more nervous about what to say.
I got up and said:
I don’t know what my dad does for a job.
At that moment, my teacher reacted:
Your Dad is a VERY smart man! He’s an engineer!
That was the miracle I was looking for! When my teacher said that, I did not have to say anything more and she kept talking about Dad. Wow.
Thinking More
When I reflected on what my teacher said, three things came to mind:
- Up to that point, I had no idea Dad was that smart. He was always quiet when I saw him.
- My teacher was one of the most respected person as I spent so much time with her. If she said Dad was smart, that means a lot, because I thought my teacher was the smartest person!
- My teacher’s comment that Dad is an engineer caused me to ask: What’s an engineer?
Conclusion
I learned two things that day:
- The smartest person I know said Dad is smart.
- Dad’s an “engineer”.
- Miracles do happen, even in elementary school.
Little would I know, I would really understand these things in a deeper context for the rest of my life.