Older now, I reflect back on my time with Dad.
From
birth to the age of ten, I really needed him. Whether it was baseball and biking or books and homework, Dad was there to teach and show me the way. From
10 to 20 years, I would occasionally check in with him. My friends suddenly became a bigger part of my life and time spent with Dad was a second here and there. From
20 to 30 years, I thought I knew everything and Dad was a phone call on weekends or a card on birthdays and holidays. From
30 to 40 years, I too became a Father. Then again, I saw my Father as a friend whose advice and wisdom I needed again. Maybe, I have finally grown up!
There are many quotes about fatherhood, but the one I like best is by Australian born photographer, Anne Geddes.
"Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a Dad."
Although my Dad is no longer with me, I can still see him sitting in his chair at the end of a long day at work. I hear his voice when I speak to my own son and try to be the father my father was to me. I feel his spirit when from the closet I take out the hat he used to wear and put it on my own head. I know that he is not far away.
Father's Day celebrates all that Dad has done. So, for all those caring Dads out there who dedicate their time, give love beyond measure, and sacrifice endlessly in the hope of creating happiness for someone else – Relax and
Happy Father's Day.
