#9--69 Things I've learned--The cliche about the apple not falling far from the tree doesn't have to be right

We can applesauce every year and when picking apples to can, we find that apples usually don't fall far from the tree. Have you noticed that?

From as far back as I can remember, I was told that I looked just like my dad.  The two words "spitting image" were used often.  I was told that if I wanted to see what my dad looked like all I had to do was look in the mirror.

As I got old enough to understand, I heard the negative part about my father who completely abandoned my mom and me when I was a baby.  He was a complete no-show.  Things got tough and he vanished.

I grew-up thinking that I had the same "get out of Dodge" gene inside of me and that when stuff got tough I'd bolt.  That question haunted me and as I approach birthday number 69, I feel confident that I have a personal answer to that.  I often wondered as I went through the stages and pressures of life.

I've learned that that apples can fall pretty far from the tree.  I'm thankful that mine did.