16 Coats

 Have you guys seen the movie, Good Will Hunting?  Really, there are people out there who haven’t seen this movie?

Well, there’s this great scene with Robin Williams and Matt Damon (ok, one of a few), where Robin Williams is sharing some information about his late wife and her quirks or peccadillos, as he calls them. He says, People call these things imperfections, but they're not — aw that's the good stuff. And then we get to choose who we let into our weird little worlds.

As adults, we often don’t get to see the peccadillos of our families anymore.  For most of my adult life, I haven’t lived close to my family.

Until now.

I don’t know if I mentioned that my dad is living with us.  He decided that he needed to follow his dream of moving to Colorado.  He is staying with us until some pieces get into place, and he feels more settled.

When you live with your family again, you learn all kinds of fun things.

My dad has a lot of clothing.  Seriously.  A lot.  We often tease him about it.  Billy came up from the basement one day, where my dad has been storing some of his belongings, and said, Your dad has at least 16 coats.  I counted.  And that’s not even counting the ones that are probably in his room.  My dad does indeed have a lot of coats.  Most of them are beige, like the one pictured. 

After almost 20 years since I graduated high school, my dad and I are still running into each other in the kitchen in the morning.  I am a bit kinder in the mornings than way back when.

By the way, I’m in a robe in the picture.  Outside.  With my neighbors visiting.  My dad accepts my peccadillos too.

But learning those peccadillos is only part of the picture.

It’s having genuine moments.

It’s watching the sun set over the mountains.

It’s happy hour after work.

It’s my dad delighting in time with my girls.

And that is, indeed, the good stuff.

This post is part of my 31 Day series.  To start from the beginning, click here.