What my dad taught me about slow learning
I'm thinking of Dad as Father's Day approaches, and I am dedicating this post to him. I've discovered in my journey to build Live and Learn New Mexico! that much of how I view learning comes from my dad, who was, I now know, a slow learner himself.
My love for this state comes from him, from all those day trips in the car, just meandering around the state, seeing what was there (he was scoping out back yards for old cars to buy and work on).
Dad also took us to arts and crafts fairs, estate sales, auctions, garage sales, and thrift stores anywhere and everywhere he could find them. He collected everything. He was an OCD hoarder, I discovered after he died. But now, as I'm moving his and Mom's stuff for the third time, I'm going through all the treasures he hoarded, and there's some good stuff there. There's also a lot of junk.
The good stuff includes first edition books about and original artwork by Beatien Yazz, who has become a favorite of mine because Dad introduced his work to me. It is one of his paintings that I have attached to this post.
Dad seemed to feel a connection to American Indian culture. I remember him out working in his garage on the weekends, listening to a Navajo radio station. He seemed to like to immerse himself in a culture he admired.
My dad and mom always thought they would return to the state they grew up in --Texas -- in their last years but they always put it off. New Mexico was their home. When I think of what this state means to me, I think first of my dad and his love of discovering all the treasures New Mexico holds and following those side roads along the way.
Dad, thank you for teaching me to learn slow and stop every once in a while to smell the roses. Love you.
My love for this state comes from him, from all those day trips in the car, just meandering around the state, seeing what was there (he was scoping out back yards for old cars to buy and work on).
Dad also took us to arts and crafts fairs, estate sales, auctions, garage sales, and thrift stores anywhere and everywhere he could find them. He collected everything. He was an OCD hoarder, I discovered after he died. But now, as I'm moving his and Mom's stuff for the third time, I'm going through all the treasures he hoarded, and there's some good stuff there. There's also a lot of junk.
The good stuff includes first edition books about and original artwork by Beatien Yazz, who has become a favorite of mine because Dad introduced his work to me. It is one of his paintings that I have attached to this post.
Dad seemed to feel a connection to American Indian culture. I remember him out working in his garage on the weekends, listening to a Navajo radio station. He seemed to like to immerse himself in a culture he admired.
My dad and mom always thought they would return to the state they grew up in --Texas -- in their last years but they always put it off. New Mexico was their home. When I think of what this state means to me, I think first of my dad and his love of discovering all the treasures New Mexico holds and following those side roads along the way.
Dad, thank you for teaching me to learn slow and stop every once in a while to smell the roses. Love you.
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