Happy Father's Day Dad!

I believe we celebrate Father's Day because we celebrate Mother's Day.  My belief that Father's Day exists to show "fairness" can be summed up in one statistical fact.  There are more calls made on Mother's Day than Father's Day but there are more collect phone calls made on Father's Day than any other day of the year.  It's a "Catch 22" the dad always endures.

However, my sarcastic opinion should not overlook the fact that a day should be set aside for honoring fathers. True fathers, real men, are becoming extinct these days.  It is great fun creating a son,  it oftentimes is not so fun creating a man. And my father has not blinked for a second, even with a blended family, and even when it was difficult to stay the course and provide the essentials for his family.

I remember several times when my dad would come home from a day's work and lay on the floor with a migraine headache from the pressure he was under.  I oftentimes thought to myself, "Why doesn't he just quit?  Just find another job?  Maybe he could find a job in Colorado and we would all be happy".  But, as I have gotten older and understand things a little better, I understand that my father was doing what he needed to do to support his family and to provide stability for a household that had undergone enough turmoil in previous years.  Thank you Dad.

I also have great memories of my childhood with my dad.  We had great vacations, rode dirt bikes all the time together, played frisbee and catch in the side yard every chance we got, and he was always my #1 fan at football games and track meets.  Again, something that I now realize are hard things to make time for and something I will cherish for a lifetime.  Thank you Dad.

My dad and I haven't always seen eye-to-eye and I don't want to paint a "rosy" perfect picture.  We have certainly had our disagreements and arguments.  We have had periods of silence in our lives that I would like to take back and have a "do-over" with.  We have had times that have caused me to pledge that I would never do it that way, and then did.  But when the smoke cleared and the "seasons" changed, we somehow have found a way back to each other.  As I have gotten older, I have more of an understanding of why my father did what he did and an appreciation of the time that he made for me and for my siblings.

Thank you Dad.  You are a real man.  You didn't disappear in hard times, you provided stability to a family that needed stability, and you showed us all that, no matter what, you would be there and love us all.

Happy Father's Day Dad!  I love you.