Today I feel blessed to hug my son and to feel my daughter kick inside her mother’s womb. More, however, I feel blessed to have my father visiting, and to share my family with him. Not everyone can celebrate someone today, and I recognize that others might prefer to ignore the holiday. But on Father’s Day, take time to honor the dads in your life, regardless of their actual relationship to you. Calling someone “father” comes from the heart, you know who deserves it.
5 Fathers to Live Up To
So that you can understand where I’m coming from, here are five fathers that I aspire to live up to:
- This gorilla – Because sometimes, I will fail my children or say something in anger. And I don’t want prison bars or searchlights to keep me from fixing things. Elephants never forget to tell their children how proud they make us.
- This thief – Because I would happily fall through infinity to save the ones I love most. And I hope my children’s voices will always bring me back from madness. (Also, even when life takes a few wrong turns, elephants never split on their families.)
- This fish – Because the world terrifies me at times, and I want to hide us all inside a protective anemone. But I will brave the unknown for my children and will try to let them lead me.
- This eternal boy – Because I would love to spend endless summers playing games and having adventures with the guys. But my wife and children will always be my happy thoughts.
- This guy – Because he has loved me, supported me, and taught me about being a Daddy for almost four decades. I don’t have a funny clip to share, nor any pearls of wisdom. But please observe him teaching my son to make pancakes in this picture. Imagine that extending to an endless march of school projects, or to coaching hockey teams for two sons. Better still, look at the four fathers above him one more time. Then know that this father has achieved the goals I aspire to. So today, I am most happy to celebrate him.
Happy Father’s Day from our family to yours.