Father's Day is sometimes not celebrated as lovingly as Mother's Day. There is usually no doubt about your Mother's love. She bore you and cuddled you, was there when you skinned your knee. When I was a girl, she was a stay at home Mom and was there when I needed her or just to talk to after school. My Dad, on the other hand worked long hours and was a very quiet man. Some men have a more difficult time expressing their feelings to their children, many children go through life with the mistaken notion that their fathers don't love them. I always knew that my Dad loved me. He was so gentle and caring with both my brother and me. In those days, my Dad worked hard to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. My folks had a partnership...Dad worked so hard, so that Mom could be there all the time for us. I remember wanting my Dad to come to school and see me perform in a class play. I knew that he worked nights and couldn't do that. So, I kept a stiff upper lip and went to school the night of the performance. When the curtain went up, I looked, and there, in the front row was my Dad. I was so happy to see his smiling face. He had missed the Dad and daughter date night and the high school homecoming, wasn't there for prom pictures...but he didn't miss seeing me on stage in my Jr. year of high school. It's a memory I will have forever.
My kids were very close to him. The boys visited him often. John and his kids were there to visit my Dad many times. They would bring him his special cookies...the great grand kids were his joy in his later years. The boys lived close and were there for him, when he needed help. They loved hearing his old stories, Tim and he could joke together and shared so many laughs.Here he is with my daughter. Though she lived far away, she was always there to see him, when she came home. They had many lunches together and birthday parties and holidays. She was his only Grand daughter.... his special girl.
So, tomorrow, when you celebrate Father's Day...if you're my age, remember your hard working Dad. He was probably a hard worker...getting little credit sometimes...who loved you as much as your Mom did. Remember how his face lit up, when you brought him that little ashtray that you made out of clay at school? It seems we all made ashtrays back then. Things have changed today for Dads. Hopefully they are celebrated as lovingly as Mom. Happy Father's Day to all the Dads in my life.
Balisha
4 comments:
I had two dads. My real dad died in an industrial accident when I was nine but I later had a good stepfather and I loved him dearly.
Wonderful post Balisha! My Dad died when I was twelve and was sick for five years before that. He worked even though he was ill just to give my brother and I a better life. Like your dad, he worked long hours and was not always able to come to our plays and school functions.
Eileen
Beautifully said, Balisha!
Lovely, loving post Balisha. Your dad's kindness and love radiates in his beautiful face. What a wonderful photo of him! Dads are so important in a child's life. They often show their love in different ways than moms do, but there's no doubt in my mind (or heart!) that they love their children just as much, and are just as special and important to a child's healthy development. Hope your family had a lovely Father's Day.
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