I’ve always loved my dad, but growing up, I don’t think I truly appreciated him. He wasn’t the kind of “TV dad” who was always around for every game, every event, or every little moment. He worked a lot. And because of that, there were plenty of times he couldn’t be there for things like games, Comic Con, or the stuff that felt really important to me when I was younger. Back then, I noticed the times he wasn’t there. What I didn’t fully understand was *why* he wasn’t there. He was working to make sure my brothers and I were taken care of. He was putting in the hours, making sacrifices, and doing what he knew how to do to provide for his family. As a kid, it was hard for me to see that as love. Now, at 22, living on my own and starting to understand what it actually takes to build a life and take care of yourself, I see him differently.

I appreciate him in a way I wasn’t capable of when I was younger. So I invited him down to spend some time with me this Halloween to have some haunted house fun, go see *Clayface*, and just enjoy being together. Maybe I can’t go back and appreciate all those things the way I wish I had, but I can make sure he feels appreciated now. I love my dad. I’m proud to be his son, and more than anything, I want him to know that I see what he did for us now. And I appreciate him for it.

I didn't appreciate my dad growing up.