I don’t know what I would have done without my father.
Well, I wouldn’t be here, for one thing? And that alone is a basic reason to honour our parents on their special days. But there’s more to Father’s Day honours than that.
To those men out there who wonder if you measured up as a dad, it’s not about that.
YOU ARE SPECIAL.
My father, Jim, was a generous, hardworking man who was passionate about certain kinds of jazz, and about Shorthorn cattle. His own family roots, his father, mother and three older sisters, gave him love and a sense of place which Dad and my mother, Mavis, in turn provided for me.
Dad loved and cared about our entire family, both his and my mother’s, near and far. He kept in touch with them by phone, by mail, by neighbourly deeds for those nearby and by little gifts for their kids.
Knowing every family in our Arrow River neighbourhood brought a sense of responsibility for each other. It might have provided fodder for gossip, but my father always countered that by finding good points about everyone.
He took my mother and I to church faithfully and we made cattle checking on the way home (with the car!) a common summer occurrence. (There was a drivable trail into the pasture.)
He was a faithful and kind man who had to work too hard for much of his life.
Dads have superpowers.
My dad could scare away boogey-men when I was afraid, and there were a few times!
I am very thankful that he was in my life and I’m reminded of that on this Father’s Day.
To all the dad’s, granddads and those men young and old, who love and care for neighbours, friends and family members, thank you.
