6-21-09

Dear Dad,

We, as children spend our whole lives taking lessons and evolving as our own people. The influences are many and varied be it from Parents, teachers, friends, religious leaders or Homer Simpson. At the end of the day, we are who we are because of those influences. We are motivated to succeed by many things. Some are motivated by money, competition, jealousy, greed, love…..

I woke up this morning and realized, I have spent my whole life trying to be just like you.. Some people spend a lifetime trying not to be like their fathers, I find myself being motivated by just the opposite.

You have created a tremendous world. You found an amazing wife who helped raise 5 unique and successful children. Somehow, the two of you found a way to unite this family unit in a way that each of us all of these 43 some odd years crave time with each other. I can only imagine how satisfying it must be to reflect on each of your children's successes, and failures, highs and lows, triumphs and downfalls and see each of them come out stronger, happier and more complete people. To have 5 individuals who came from the same stock, raised in the same way, become so different and unique. I have met no other family with 2 children or 8, that are as complete, successful and want to be together more than yours.

You created a world where you had an inordinate amount of financial, personal and religious successes, then, due to an overwhelming amount of outside stresses, you started all over again. You have taught me that there is nothing you can't do; you just have to do it.

One of the smartest parenting tools I have learned from you is one on one time with each individual child. We each had a trip or several one on one with dad. The most memorable for me was our frequent trips to Disneyland. "Entertain me, ask me questions" comes to mind. In a 12 hour car ride from Salt Lake City to Anaheim, there tends to be a lot of down time. I would ask, "What is your favorite movie?", or "What is your favorite song?" then after a while, would start to evolve in to a deeper conversation of who you are as an individual. How every person is unique. What makes you tick, and it was in those experiences that I learned how to relate to other people. No matter who they are or how they are different from me, everyone is fascinating. When you can get to a depth of what makes people tick, you find that you can relate to at least something in their lives. This was a perfect transition into both my college experience in theater, but also in my professional career in sales. In theater, you need to learn how to relate to other people so strongly that you become a bit of that person and you can think, behave and react live in front of an audience as that person. In sales, there is very little difference. If you can get to the root of what people want and who they are, you can anticipate their needs to a point where they feel like you are reading their minds. If you can relate to them on any level, they like you and want to be around you and subsequently, buy from you. You are the consummate salesman, and that inspires me. Naturally, those trips to Disneyland had such a profound impact on me, I have inevitably, and single handedly put several of the Disney children through grad school.

I am platinum with Marriott….

You know how to live. The work hard play hard mentality is exactly how I live my life. I am not afraid of hard work, but I know how to enjoy myself. I have found a wonderful wife, who I know will be an outstanding mother. I will take each of my children individually on trips and show them what the world is all about. When Dena goes out of town, I will take my kids to the store to get their own box of cereal.

So, as I reflect on this father's day of the man I have become and the father that I would like to be. I know, that if I am even half the man you are, or even half the father you are. I will consider my life a profound success.

Thank you for inspiring me. Thank you for Hawaii, Thank you for Disney, Thank you for Marriott, Thank you for happiness, Thank you for Dena. Thank you for my career. Thank you for life. Thank you for being you.

To many, many more years of experiences together……..

I love you

Jimmy