Father's Day Message

After being a Dad of some form or another for many years now I feel somewhat qualified to speak on the subject. So here goes my little diatribe in regards to being a Dad.

Being a Dad is being the rock. Now being the rock can be a good thing….and it can get you in trouble. (Often) Being a rock means you are solid and dependable and can be counted on to do whatever you can for your children. It also can mean immoveable and stubborn and prideful and those things are, although honorable, sometimes a problem. I would like to think I have some of those first qualities because I am more than certain I have the last three.

Being a Dad means hurting when your children hurt. We also have a bit of a problem built into being a male and that is we always want to fix it. Sometimes it can’t be fixed….only adapted to. I would be the first to admit that I am a fixit guy and I will continue to try and fix it long after the rest of the world knows it can’t be fixed. (You know…stubborn, prideful, and immoveable)

Now of those three sometimes problematic qualities I think I have improved on the immoveable part. The other two not so much. As we all get older I think some of us do begin to mellow and are more receptive to other ideas.(Or perhaps we just give up easier) There are some topics I will never move on….Jesus Christ= my savior, big government=bad, taxes=waste, decaf coffee=no point, smoking=death, undocumented aliens=illegal immigrants, wife’s happiness=priority, and blogging=not getting something I should be doing right now done.

Being a Dad equals another task; Taking those phone calls about flat tires and broken driers, etc. I am still the go to guy….although I could be replaced. We’ll see about that. Being a Dad means yet another thing…..a very good thing. It means many precious memories that can’t be taken away. Memories of first communions, of 5th grade graduations, of diapers taped in an amazingly straight line the entire four walls of a living room. It is memories of high school graduations, college graduations, first apartments…..so many memories…more than room here would allow and more than most readers would tolerate.

Being a Dad has been and continues to be a challenge, a blessing and a privilege. I know Father’s Day is right around the corner and this year will hold a new deeper and at times difficult meaning for me. I thank God for the opportunity to be a Dad and I pray that in the end I will be half the Dad my Dad was to me.