Happy Father's Day to all...
I don't know how many fathers read my LJ, but I know there are at least a few. This post is for all of you who are already fathers. For those of you who aren't fathers, please stop reading and call your own father if you haven't done so already. Take my word for it, as a relatively new father, I assure you that remembering Father's Day means more to dad than remembering his birthday, anniversary or even Christmas.
So, to all the father's, dad's, pop's and "old men" out there, Happy Father's Day from one father to another. Only another father can truly understand what it feels like the first time your child looks at you, with comprehension in his/her eyes and says "da-da!" Or what it feels like when shortly after your little one starts walking, you become the recipient of the "running knee tackle hug" accompanied by the most heartwarming smile on earth, a giggle and a big "DA-DA!!!!" when you walk in the door from work. Or how it feels to get that call in the middle of the day telling you of the most recent heart stopping near disaster (my most recent one involved Taylor pulling a 27" TV over onto his head). Or even the simpler joys received from "Daddy, will you read to me?" or "Can I sit on your lap, daddy?" or best of all, the completely unsolicited "I love you daddy, you're my best friend."
My boys aren't old enough yet to say thank you unprompted, buy their own cards, make dinner for me, or even to let me sleep in. Yet as I ventured through this Father's Day weekend, I heard them say "Thank you" and "I love you" dozens of times in their own way. The feeling is priceless.
For all we father's are supposed to be tough and all that. I find myself choked up just looking back over this weekend -- doubly so as I think about my own dad and know that I won't get to talk to him until next week. To my dad I say "Thank you dad for all that you taught me, the example you set for me, all the times that you were there and even all the
times that you were away working two jobs so my brother and I could have nice things. Thank you dad for keeping me in line, at the right times being the gatekeeper, the teacher, the friend, the confidant and the rule-bender. Thank you dad, not just for being a great dad and raising me well, but for what feels even more important today... for showing me how to be a good dad. I love you."
Happy Father's Day!
So, to all the father's, dad's, pop's and "old men" out there, Happy Father's Day from one father to another. Only another father can truly understand what it feels like the first time your child looks at you, with comprehension in his/her eyes and says "da-da!" Or what it feels like when shortly after your little one starts walking, you become the recipient of the "running knee tackle hug" accompanied by the most heartwarming smile on earth, a giggle and a big "DA-DA!!!!" when you walk in the door from work. Or how it feels to get that call in the middle of the day telling you of the most recent heart stopping near disaster (my most recent one involved Taylor pulling a 27" TV over onto his head). Or even the simpler joys received from "Daddy, will you read to me?" or "Can I sit on your lap, daddy?" or best of all, the completely unsolicited "I love you daddy, you're my best friend."
My boys aren't old enough yet to say thank you unprompted, buy their own cards, make dinner for me, or even to let me sleep in. Yet as I ventured through this Father's Day weekend, I heard them say "Thank you" and "I love you" dozens of times in their own way. The feeling is priceless.
For all we father's are supposed to be tough and all that. I find myself choked up just looking back over this weekend -- doubly so as I think about my own dad and know that I won't get to talk to him until next week. To my dad I say "Thank you dad for all that you taught me, the example you set for me, all the times that you were there and even all the
times that you were away working two jobs so my brother and I could have nice things. Thank you dad for keeping me in line, at the right times being the gatekeeper, the teacher, the friend, the confidant and the rule-bender. Thank you dad, not just for being a great dad and raising me well, but for what feels even more important today... for showing me how to be a good dad. I love you."
Happy Father's Day!