Sunday, June 19, 2011

Backward Glance - Happy Father's Day!

Speaking of fathers...

I don't think I've ever called my dad "Father." That title just seemed too formal and distant. He has always been "Dad" or "Daddy." My dad was very involved in my activities, encouraging me to improve and excel. I didn't always appreciate him, or the encouragement; but, I certainly do now. His love for his family has been implicit in his behavior.

My dad called his dad "the old man." I'm not really sure why. He was old, to be sure. He was already 53 years old when my dad was born. But, from the stories Dad has shared (for which I am unspeakably grateful), "the old man" was healthy, strong, loving and actively involved in the lives of his children. From father to son?

The lives of our "fathers," or, those who have gone before us, have probably been fairly ordinary lives. They probably didn't think about how they would be remembered generations down the line. But, isn't each one of us a product of the lives they lived, the choices they made and the legacies they've left?

I, for one, am grateful for the fathers in my life and the fathers in my lineage.

Happy Father's Day!


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