Fathers Day

I wanted to write something mushy about dads today, something drawn from my own life experiences. Sadly, looking back, the only father I really had to trust as a little girl was the Father that went hand in hand with the Son and Holy Spirit. My Daddy and I, much as I wanted nothing more than to be his precious gift, didn't give me a whole lot to trust back then. But I am still moved to see those rare men among our human condition who are really good dads. These men are not perfect, even if they are trying to be- they fail sometimes, but they accept that fatherhood is not a position they can quit. Frankly, even if you gave them the option to walk away, they would cling jealously to their responsibilities, even when it isn't quite clear to them what those responsibilities entail. These brave souls walk blindly into the fray that will some day involve hormones and teenage dramas, wading through dirty diapers and ceaseless crying even when they are scared to death of doing something wrong. And I think that is the one of the true signs of a father- the unfailing being there, wrong or right, day or night, giving of themselves when they have nothing left for themselves. They love their children unequivocally, showing that love in play, in sternness, in lessons learned and mistakes made. They are a small number but they are a treasure made more noticeable for its rarity, though their own children may not know it till they are grown themselves.
Some Daddies weren't the best- some forgot us or we scared them so much they made big mistakes that broke our hearts. Sometimes that made us stronger. But even then, I am glad those men are fathers too, for so many of us wouldn't be here to make the world a richer place if not for those men. And if we are really lucky, like my Daddy and me, we can resolve the past and learn to love each other anyway.
Then there are those dads we have that don't involve parentage. Those brave souls who take it to heart to play father to children not their own. They may only come into our lives for an hour on the side of the road, changing a tire, or they can come and stay, indelibly inking their words in our hearts just we most need to hear them. Some are teachers, coaches, uncles, grandpas, supervisors, co-workers, and some are total strangers, but our lives would have been noticeably poorer without them guiding us.
So today, let me say Happy Fathers Day, to all you men who have been daddies to us. Whether mistakes were made or you walked the right trail, our generation walks in the road you paved before us. We are blessed immeasurably by you all. *virtual hugs* from my heart to yours.
Love,
Daddy's Little Girl