Today would have been my father’s 57th birthday.

Growing up, I was intimidated by him. He had a short temper and when he got angry, he’d yell and throw things before taking off for a while in his car. His temper didn’t improve as I got older, but I learned that there were many smaller signs that would kick in before the volcano exploded.

I also learned that it’s important to be kind to animals because they rely on you for all their needs. I learned that you should put responsibilities before fun, that as a citizen you also have a civic duty to stay informed and vote, and that you should finish what you start.

He also loved running. One of my favorite memories is running together when I was still in high school and preparing to take my very first APFT, which he also ran with me.

If he had a mustache, he thought it was funny to have a side part in his hair and keep his mustache trimmed so at a distance he had a resemblance to Hitler. After he retired, he experimented with other facial hair. I knew him best clean-shaven.