By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong -- Charles Wadsworth

I don't know why I didn't write a post to Mother on Mother's day this year. Mom was always such a powerful and awe-inspiring woman, it seemed like everyone appreciated her every day that she graced this Earth.

But that can't be said of Dad. Dad had obvious faults, but as the years go by I seem to remember them less and less. What I do recall was his character in honest dealings with men, his love of animals and the underlying tenderness that lay beneath the surface of his otherwise gruff exterior.

Dad's been gone for almost 26 years now and he continues to influence my life. I think of him when I've done something he would not be proud of and, then again, when I know he'd smile and say, "Good job." (He didn't hand out compliments often.)

I remember his stick-to-it-iveness for not quitting a task when the going gets tough. How he could always figure out a way to make the things work that he cared about the most.

Dad, thanks. You taught me how to survive and how to be victorious in the end. You see I was listening after all.... Happy Father's Day.

Cinda Crawford, host of the Health Matters Show