I don’t know that anyone ever believed in me like my Dad did.

Today I celebrate my Dad … it was just one year ago that he took his last breath and I miss him every day. As I take the second spin around the sun without him, I’m choosing to honor him and me by reflecting on the many things he taught me, embracing those lessons and then putting them into practice.

Today, I’m believing in myself just like my Dad did.

Dad and I always enjoyed watching TV together. We would watch sports, crime dramas, and the occasional comedy. I had the biggest crush on Magnum PI back in the day — and we would watch this show together too.

Dad always believed in me. He really made me believe that I had a shot at Magnum PI — he told me once that I just needed to meet Tom Selleck and he was sure it would work out for us. So funny — yet at the time I think Dad believed exactly what he said. He believed in me that much.

I actually did meet Tom Selleck — by that time, I had moved on to other romances — but I’ll always remember what my Dad told me and it makes me smile to this very day. I looked for the picture of Tom and me … but couldn’t find it so I am sharing another picture of a day when Dad believed in me.

We would take the occasional trip to the lake in the summer.

My siblings and I loved the water and we would spend the entire day in the lake

— and I so wanted to jump off the high dive but was so scared! I think I climbed up and down that ladder 50 or so times. Mom and Dad stayed on shore — ready to take the picture when (and if) I ever decided to jump. Dad knew I could do it — he yelled his words of encouragement, and finally, I jumped.

He always believed in me. I love new beginnings, and today marks a new beginning for me as I choose to believe in me, just like my Dad always did.