Sunday, June 15, 2008

Sunday, 15 June 2008 - Father's Day

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for my dad, on Father's Day.

It is impossible to please all the world and one's father. ~Jean de la Fontaine

You don't have to deserve your mother's love. You have to deserve your father's. He's more particular. ~Robert Frost

If my dad was proud of his five daughters, he never admitted it. Not to our faces, anyway. Rather, he remained an aloof figure, haunted by his own demons and history. He rarely shared thoughts or feelings or advice, demanding a quiet, almost silent household after a long day at work. And, we complied. The giggles stopped, the teasing ceased, the loud voices reduced to whispers the moment he walked through the front door.

I think my dad needed a safe place, a refuge from a world that insulted him early in his life before placing a large, bitter chip on his shoulder. So, at home in his house, we tiptoed from room to room, spoke in hushed tones, being extra careful not to disturb his two or three hours of peace and quiet.

So, on this Father's Day, I wish my dad a lovely day filled with the quiet, solitary activities he prefers. Like tending potted plants in his patio garden or tying the most challenging fly fishing flies at his beloved workbench or reading a book while reclining in his favorite chair.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

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