“Don’t let the clouds cover what beautiful might be coming”. My dad said this to me as we were pulling into the University of New England. I was just returning from taking a week off from school to get back on my feet, and it was obvious how nervous I was. My dad spent the last fifteen minutes of our car ride telling me how to make my come back. He told me everything was going to be fine, and I believed him because my dad is always right. He’s always been right since the day he started giving me and my brothers, Jared and Jevan, advice. You must read a room before you tell a joke. A good helper always listens. If you did something wrong, call him not mom, he just reacts better. I believe my dad gives the best advice because he has lived a challenging life, but he came out as the best man possible. He is the best father to me and my two younger brothers, the best husband to my mom, and the best role model. He needs and deserves to be talked about. My dad’s name is Josh Beale, and he grew up in Maine with his parents and older brother. Childhood was not easy, and this inspired him to ensure my brothers and I never go through what he did. Everyday he works hard to make sure we have every opportunity available to us, and when we take something on, he does everything in his power to support it. He built props for dances, coached t-ball teams, and never missed a show or game. He is there for us because no one was there for him.
Growing up I would often hear, “you are so much like your father”, whether it was my mom saying it or my parents’ friends. It wasn’t until recently when I realized how much of a compliment that truly was. Something I idolize about my dad is his ability to speak up. No matter who it is or where, he is not afraid to put people in their place. He is a natural leader, and also has the ability to make anyone laugh. I got my sense of humor and sarcasm from him, as well as the skill of telling someone how I feel. I’m blunt and straightforward, just like my dad.
My dad also taught me how a boy is supposed to treat me. He is quite literally the definition of, “if he wanted to, he would”. My dad would do absolutely anything for my mom. They had been friends all throughout high school, but didn’t start their relationship until after my dad graduated, who was a year behind my mom. They were at dinner with all their friends one night when my mom said, “I wish God would just tell me who to be with”. She then walked out to her car to find a note which read, “You should be with Josh Beale”, signed by God. My dad would clean off my moms car if it snowed, no matter where she was. He would meet her at work if it was raining to make sure she had an umbrella. Throughout my entire life, my dad has shown what a good example of love looks like, and taught me what I should look for, and how I should be treated.
While I’ve grown up, my relationship with my dad has grown as well. He is a dynamic person, always changing and adapting to the world around him. He learned how to be the best parent to the three of us, learning that each of us thrive differently. He supports each of us in our own unique ways, allowing us to grow independently, but also be able to go back to him for help. My dad is able to learn from his mistakes, adapt to what is going on around us, and put what’s best for our family first, no matter what.
My dad has always cared a lot about how close our family is. He has always longed for me and my brothers to remain close, even as we grow up. On my dad’s side of the family, there is a trend of “Beale Brothers” not having good relationships. I truly believe that thanks to my dad, Jared and Jevan will be the end of that cycle. My brothers are my world, and I’m so grateful for them and for my dad reminding us constantly how our family will always be there for us. He had the choice to go down two different paths based on his life. He made the choice to get out of the environment he was in and turn something negative into something so perfect. He didn’t let the clouds cover the beautiful thing that was coming.
