He is His father's son. He has always been close to His father. I think it is probably both nature and nurture. He and His father shared similar interests, they had the same temperament, and people often told Him that He reminded them of His father (however, that can also cause a child to rebel). He was also brought up with a healthy dose of respect laced with a little fear of His father. His father was a man of few words. He said what needed to be said, but not much more than what was necessary. He was neither a playful nor demonstrative man. He was however a man of principles, and his word was enough.
Once in a while I saw His father get upset with Him for whatever infraction He had committed (usually related to His attitude while playing sports). He rarely, if never, talked back to His father that I witnessed, but I think that was fairly normal for His generation. What impressed me most about His attitude toward His father was how He respected him on a personal and private level. He contemplated His father's advice. If His father reprimanded His behavior or attitude, He thought about it. If His father offered direction, He didn't dismiss it. His father was conscientious about looking for opportunities to help neighbors, friends and family, and often drug Him along as an extra hand. His father would even offer His service to someone without asking Him. He always went along with it.
Their relationship wasn't perfect, but there was never anything that had to be resolved or mended, they just moved on. When His father would say or do something that He didn't agree with, or that challenged Him, He would walk away without a confrontation. He would go home frustrated, simmer for a bit, and then sleep on it (it also may have caused some tossing and turning). Sometimes He would change His mind, sometimes He would stand His ground, and sometimes He would apologize. But the one constant was that He never said or did anything to alter their relationship. He loved and respected His father, and that meant dealing with whatever.
He worked on His relationship...
...one more reason I love Him.
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