Happy Father’s Day to all the awesome dads out there!
It’s impossible to reflect on Father’s Day without making note of three extremely significant influences for me on this day. The first is my own dad, who was the one who I learned how to drive with, talked to about boyfriends (believe it or not), learned how to tie my shoes from, and who to this day I still turn to when we aren’t sure about something about the house, or in need of another opinion on a purchase that we are making. Now, he’s Bampa to my kids (well, the youngest calls him that and I can’t help it now), and is fully involved in their lives which I couldn’t be happier about.
The second is his dad, my grandfather who lived a long life surrounded by family. It was him who I told first when I was moving in with a boyfriend, him who I told first when I decided to switch majors in universities. Because this was a man who didn’t judge my choices but with open ears would simply listen. He might gently comment on something but there was no harshness in his tone. He told me he was proud of me, and coming from him this was one of the biggest compliments I’ve ever gotten in my life. He taught me the importance of work ethic and family.
Lastly, there’s my husband, father to our two beautiful children. This is a man who bucks tradition when it comes to what old perceptions of fatherhood once was. He’s not a man driven by career (although, his success in it would suggest otherwise), but a man who puts family first, and steals time from almost anywhere to be with his kids.
He plays baseball over and over again, and makes up silly songs and games that make the kids laugh. He does ‘upside down cheek kissing’ with the youngest because it’s just a thing they do. Daddy is the one the oldest wants to go golfing with and read history of baseball books. Daddy is the young that the youngest *asks* for me to have a meeting sometimes so she can be alone with him.
I’ve been surrounded by men who serve as role models on Father’s Day most of my life. And for that, I am grateful.
Happy Father’s Day!
Beautiful 🙂