My DOT Father….

I have invested my last six months of life on this earth with my eighty-six year young mother nursing her through back surgery. Like my family members who love her and our family,
I work towards the best possible outcomes; at least I try my best most days.
Mom listens to the news on TV which is almost always focused on challenges. Most of what I hear and see on TV involves politics about something, somewhere.
I chose to read e mail journals magazines or newsletters chock full of information that are encouraging to me and forward focused.
Some of the things I read are just for relaxation. They give me relief from the more involved and serious subjects like maritime and land based transportation systems.
I would like to honor my father with my life as well as my mom. He died four years ago. He worked for the Department of Transportation, or DOT in Washington, DC.
As a government “brat” child growing up with my family near Washington DC, I lived a good life but truly did not understand what my dad did for a living. I knew he was dedicated to his work and an accomplished man. To some he was not as bright but to me he was amazing, smart, and talented. He was committed to work and family. He provided a life to our family that many people in the world would envy and want. It lacked lavishness but offered stability and opportunity, and for that I give him a lot of credit.
My dad rose up early and went to work. He came home tired and hungry and anxious to learn about what we, his family did each day. He cared about his family like crazy. I also knew that what he did as a civil servant for the government was important and challenging. He was always involved with the community at large. His life became about serving all the armed forces divisions within the government and ultimately culminated in serving the Department of Transportation or DOT. He worked on the computer system somehow and served the Office of two DOT secretaries, Dole and Pena. He made it up the civil servant scale for responsibility. He earned every penny with his efforts, dedication and intelligence. And what I remember most about him was his sensitivity. He truly cared about humanity.
Today, I would like to see my father honored by his work colleagues for what efforts and inroads he made with his life. I would appreciate more details from those who associated with him about his work life.
Even if I can’t find much out about him as a worker, I would like to continue in his footsteps, continue his legacy.
I too would like to a further develop our amazing transportation systems in the United States of America.
The land, air and sea transportation systems of the United States truly need our financial investments and support. We have had great success in the past with them but it seems like they are now they falling behind. We citizens must invest more money, effort and materials into building and extending our transportation systems reach. We must do this soon and without political fanfare and delay. If we remain complacent and ignore these systems they will fail us like a body that fails due to neglect and lack of nutrition.
If the heart of transportation in this country is commerce and the limbs are air, ocean, rail, highway, pipeline and internet, we the people must be the lifeblood that flows with energy and enthusiasm to rejuvenate the body to keep the systems flowing.
What will it take for citizens to recognize that the biggest challenge to our economic and physical success rests squarely in our ability to move about people and freight unimpeded around the country with peace of mind? What better way is there to fully and completely invest in ourselves as a nation? Or to feel the obvious contributions to our job markets and the hiring of people with job creation?
The investment in our country to improve our transportation systems is needed now and this is a reality. I implore you to support the passage of public and private funding of transportation systems infrastructure legislation today. Support our country with this necessary effort now.
Perhaps with this appeal I can begin on my ultimate journey to honor the legacy of my father.
I know he supported transportation, he served the Department of Transportation, and I feel him urging me to communicate this to you today.