Thank You, Didda

When I was growing up, our fathers were heroes. My friends and I affectionately referred to our fathers as "Daddy". In our eyes, there wasn't anything that Daddy couldn't do. I believe that God intended for our Dads to be an example of his kindness, love, dedication, compassion, honor, and strength in the earth. I am grateful for my father, Lawrence Hughes, Jr. who I still call Daddy. In June (2023), The Simmons-West Family Reunion honored the legacies of Charlie Henry (Papa) and Ollie West Simmons, my maternal great-grandparents. I have fond memories of Papa as well. He was always happy to see us and showed kindness in words and deeds.This book is a celebration of fatherhood as Cletis III (Pum) shares the reasons he, Elisha, and Grace are grateful for Didda (the affectionate name for their Daddy). May we all make time to use words and deeds to show gratitude to others.