Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Why do you yell so much?

 Hey DAD!!!!!!

That's a young Pharaoh on the right. The man on my left is my Dad. My sister says the older I get the more I look like Dad. This photo is at a N.Y. Jets game at Shea Stadium in the late 70's. Many Sundays my Dad and I would go and sit in the 1st row of the endzone and watch games together. I always wanted my Dad to be proud of me, but didn't always feel I did enough for him. My Dad and I would argue and many times go a long time without speaking, often for silly reasons.

6 and a half years ago I started working at NYSC. My first year there was rough and contemplated leaving many times, but stuck with it. At the start of my 2nd year I began to teach classes and found my niche. By the middle of my second year I was a Master Trainer with NYSC. 5 years ago my Dad and I went to eat for my birthday. Of course stubbornness by both of us left us not speaking at the end of the day.  I remember telling him about my promotion and being excited but again, we were too upset with each other to notice. My Dad was planning on moving to Texas to live with my sister and be "Pa pa" to his 3 grandchildren. He was also sick with a rare autoimmune disorder. So Labor Day weekend we (and I mean he drove and I rode shotgun) went to Texas. He was admitted to the hospital 3 days later and never came home. He passed away 2 months later.

My sister told me the day before Dad passed away he told her that he was proud that I'd finally found something I was passionate about. I never got to hear him say it. But knowing that he that's how he felt gets me going. It's why I do tuck jumps before class. It's why I ask for 2 CLAPS! It's why I make people yell louder when they count. It's why I sit up late at night and look up stuff to do in class. It's why I've brought suitcases with 50lbs of equipment to a group exercise class. It's why I get hyped when the person in my Small Group Training class makes vast improvements. It's why I get in your face for you to work harder. It's why it pisses me off when some people show up to class and talk.

I'm fortunate to do something I'm passionate about for a living. I'm fortunate that my Dad knew about that passion.

2 CLAPS
2 CLAPS
2 CLAPS

Pharaoh out!

3 comments:

  1. Thank you for ALWAYS yelling! You constantly push me to seek out my full potential and work harder then that and I THANK YOU! :) I strive to always be faster and stronger because you motivate me and hey let's just face it I like beating the boys. Hahahahahaha
    two claps

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Lizzie!
    2 CLAPS!
    2 CLAPS!
    SWAGGER CLAP!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great post!! Truly inspiring... I enjoy being yelled as it
    brings me back to my old dancing school days.
    A little yelling made me jump higher, and turn faster!
    It's all love!!

    ReplyDelete