to Dads old and New...

Today if Father's Day. Happy Father's day to all dad's who read this. It takes more that just having the baby to be a father.

It takes:

unconditional love

many early nights of changing diapers

many school nights of homework assignments

many teen years of waiting up late for them to come home

one hard day of letting them go

many years of watching their lives from afar

an eternity of always caring about their lives

and did I mention unconditional love?

I have had the pleasure to encounter many great dads. The dad that come home late and checked homework even though he wasn't there in the evenings.

The dad that was a cub scout leader.

The dad that made soccer games even though they did not totally understand the game.

The dad that is totally inept but would stay up all night putting together a Christmas toy.

The dad that wore his lucky shirt to all his sons' ballgames.

The dad that works 60 hours a week and still coaches kiddy ballgames.

There are many ways to show love to a child without giving them the world on a platter and all the ways that I mentioned are prime examples of Love. I am sure in each situation, dad would have preferred to take a snooze on the sofa or watch a little baseball but chose to do the thing that would make a memory with a child.

After children are grown, we have to let them try their wings. Children will never understand just how hard this is until they hit that milestone themselves. Kids cannot understand why we worry. "I am mature, I can take care of myself!" Maybe you can but sometimes you may be in that situation were you need a little help. That is what parental concern is all about.

What is the just reward for being a great dad? Satisfaction in knowing that maybe you helped shape the son or daughter into the person they are today. If you ask my husband, he will tell you "grandchildren". Yes, we joke about that. You put up with these kids all these years, just to be able to have grandkids.

So if you are one of those people that get exasperated over a dad that worries over you, just remember that worry comes with a ton of love. The desire for you to have a good life. And what is the thanks we get for that? I think back to the days of my youth to a song by Cat Stephens (before he changed his name) about "The Cat's in the Cradle", dad is busy while son is growing up. dad grows older and slows down but son is too busy to enjoy life with dad.

Is that not what we call the circle of life? One thing I have learned in my half century plus of living. Most of us spend too much time planning the future that we forget to enjoy the present.

What ever you choose to do today for Fathers Day, the one thing I urge everyone to day is live for today. Don't dwell on the past or make plans to change a loved one for the future. Enjoy today!!

Happy Fathers Day 2010,

Vera