I realized my dad's love language is not words of affirmation or quality time, but

finding the perfect drill bit for a project he started 5 years ago

Growing up, my dad wasn't big on mushy stuff; hugs were brief, and 'I love you' was often replaced with a nod.

But then I realized, every time he quietly fixed my bike, mowed the lawn without being asked, or just sat with me when I was down, he was speaking volumes.

I asked my dad what he wanted for Father's Day.

He just sighed, looked at the garage door, and said, 'Honestly? Just 10 minutes alone with the power drill, and maybe to finally figure out where that missing Philips head screwdriver went after the great fence-mending of 2017.'

I was going through some old family photos with my dad on Father's Day

and he pointed to a picture of me as a kid and said, 'You know, this is my favorite photo of you – it's the only one where you're not asking me for money.'