Father’s Day

I know this is a day late but I just couldn’t get this blog to sound the way I wanted it to (and I still don’t know that I did). I hope all you dads had a great Father’s Day. Mine was pretty good. We didn’t do much, but then again I enjoy those lazy days working around the house. It just seems like too many times people get caught up in the material aspects of Father’s Day and they forget to think about its real meaning.

Father’s Day should be a day to reflect about all aspects of fatherhood; being a father, a husband, and a son. Too many times it becomes about “Me the father,” and not enough about the other facets of life. Being the father and wanting that recognition is pretty important to all fathers, but how are we doing with fatherhood.

Are we the fathers our children need? I can’t tell anyone how to be a perfect father, the good Lord knows I’ve not been anywhere near a perfect father. But I can promise to work hard and be a better father each day. Be there for them when they’re happy and when they’re sad; when they are healthy and when their nose runs; when they hit the homerun and when they throw the interception; when she loses the beauty pageant or wins the science fair. No matter what, be there for them.

What about their Mother, Father’s Day is about recognizing how important being a good husband is to actually being a good father. Whether married or divorced, being good to the children’s mother is extremely important to the children. Sometimes it is hard and sometimes it is a loving chore that we are more than happy to complete; however, being a good father is predicated on being a good husband (or in some cases an amicable ex-husband).

Then there is being a son. This is where many of us have had problems in the past. We all have a father or father-figure in their life (and sometimes that could be a single mother). Whatever your situation is, you are someone’s child. SO, on this Father’s Day take a few minutes and think about your father, or father-figure, and give thanks for those virtues they have given you. The let them know how much you appreciate them.

I used to think of all these sort of days as greeting card holidays, but if you dedicate a short bit of thought to them they can all produce some self-improving aspects. Use these days to think on those things that are important to you, but also use them to help you to remember these same values on those days that aren’t “special” holidays.

Happy Father’s Day to everyone and I hope that we all take the time to consider our lives, how we live them, and how our lives affect those around us and reflect on us as a parent, spouse, and child.

By the way, I did get a lot of fishing stuff, but no boat….

Bill