My dad taught me how to read, to laugh, to love and to live. I remember my dad reading to me aloud and acting out all the characters in a story. I felt so special that he was doing it for me, an audience of one. And I learned that whenever we read to someone, it can be a wonderful experience. My dad showed me that laughter is always full-bodied, wholesome and uninhibited. When he laughed it was loud and never half-hearted and often it was because he being silly and laughing at himself. And I learned how laughter is joy, a salve and a way to bring people together. My dad taught me that when you love, it is with all your heart, mind and soul. It's always 100% and transparent, even when the world may think that it is too much or too needy. And I have become the woman I am today, the one who loves deeply and openly, because of what my dad taught me.