Spending a relatively quiet “Father’s Day.” It’s interesting in that it’s two-way: On the one hand, naturally I call my dad and wish him the best of the day. On the other hand, I’ve got my daughters calling me wishing me the same. Not to go all “Lion King,” but you get a real feeling of the circle of life. That it’s more than the simple status of being a father, but more of a sense of being part of an ongoing sense of responsibility and commitment.
I remember when I was a kid, falling asleep in the back seat of the car when we’d be coming home from a long trip. I did so with nary a concern, utterly confident that I would wake up safe and sound back home. These days, of course, I’m in the front seat, with my daughters peacefully dozing in the back of the car, equally trusting that I’ll get them safely to their destination. Metaphorically, I suppose, that’s my job for all aspects of their lives.
Hëll of a responsibility. Then again, I knew the job was dangerous when I took it.
PAD
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Given that so many people tell me I look and act exactly like my father, I know the feeling you have. It’s as if looking into a mirror with a mirror behind you and watching the reflections float off to infinity.
I must brag that I got the best father’s Day gift on Friday at my daughter’s daycare. When asked ‘What does your daddy love’, the other kids said sports or golf or reading…
My daughter stood up and said to the audience “My daddy loves me!” (I honestly thought she’d say ‘Star Trek’, and I broke into tears when I heard the truth of what I do love most come from her lips).
Happy Father’s Day, all.
PAD,
Happy Father’s Day:)
I spent a chunk of the afternoon composing a new letter to Dad. He’s up for parole any day now, but he’s healthy and has a good attitude and an arrogant, obnoxious ášš….which is why he’s a guest of New Hampshire on a gun offense. I love you, Dad. Be well.
Happy Father’s Day to you, Peter, and to all father’s and children out there. 🙂
A happy Father’s Day to you, sir.
Just to play devil’s advocate, isn’t father’s day another holiday made up by the greeting card makers and the media to improve the economy and make us all feel either closer to each other or resentful if we don’t have a relationship with our fathers? I’m just saying, or is the fact that we all get to get together to acknowledge our dads, just like we do in may for mother’s day wether we feel like it or not bc it’s a societal expectation enough to warrant the effort??
Hostile, while I agree with you that it may be “yet another holiday”, it does make dads feel pretty happy and is a great opportunity to be mindful of all that they have given up for/to us.
I loved spending some time with my pops today.
Fred
I know exactly what you mean about it being a two-way thing: this morning, I was woken up by my son with a card and prezzie for Father’s Day… and then later, I called my Dad to wish HIM the same good wishes.
Funny what you say about driving with your daughter’s dozing in the car. One strong memory of my own childhood is sitting in the back seats, ostensibly looking out of the window, but also listening to my parents chat in the front seat.
A couple of years ago, when we were all out in the car, I adjusted the rear view mirror to check on Phil, and had a real deja vu moment as I realised that HE was looking out of the window while obviously paying attention to me and Laura chatting.
Very weird moment…
I know exactly what you mean about it being a two-way thing: this morning, I was woken up by my son with a card and prezzie for Father’s Day… and then later, I called my Dad to wish HIM the same good wishes.
Funny what you say about driving with your daughter’s dozing in the car. One strong memory of my own childhood is sitting in the back seats, ostensibly looking out of the window, but also listening to my parents chat in the front seat.
A couple of years ago, when we were all out in the car, I adjusted the rear view mirror to check on Phil, and had a real deja vu moment as I realised that HE was looking out of the window while obviously paying attention to me and Laura chatting.
Very weird moment…
Happy Father’s Day to you, Peter, and to the senior Mr. David as well.
Just to play devil’s advocate, isn’t father’s day another holiday made up by the greeting card makers and the media to improve the economy and make us all feel either closer to each other or resentful if we don’t have a relationship with our fathers? I’m just saying, or is the fact that we all get to get together to acknowledge our dads, just like we do in may for mother’s day wether we feel like it or not bc it’s a societal expectation enough to warrant the effort??
Oh c’mon, man. What, no Whos in Whoville to annoy?
I feel bad for folks who have lost their fathers or whose Dads were not worthy of the name but if so give a call to anyone who filled the role even a little. And if nobody fits that description be a father or mother figure to a kid and get those calls yourself.
Any holiday that gets me my annual $15 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble is an altogether good thing, I say.
PAD,
Nice summary of the Father’s Day experience. I have two young daughters who gave me wonderful presents – one is taking me to the Batman movie and the other is taking me to the Fantastic Four movie. They both combined to give me your novelization of the FF movie.
Enjoy what little is left of your Father’s Day.
Regards,
Dennis
Driving home from Minneapolis today I was thinking along these same lines. I looked back at my 17 month old daughter sleeping and my wife sitting next to me and thought about how much trust they put in me.
Though, my daughter is a little more trusting as my wife tends to grab the car door handle and say things like, “James! Slow down! You almost hit that guy!”
Well, since the motivations behind the establishment of Father’s Day is being challenged–in addition to noting that there are similar such celebratory days all over the world and I doubt they’re ALL for the purpose of selling greeting cards–I submit the following from http://www.wikipedia.com:
“In the United States, the driving force behind the establishment of the celebration of Father’s Day was Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd whose father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, had as a single parent raised his six children in Spokane, Washington. She was inspired by Anna Jarvis’s efforts to establish Mother’s Day. Although she initially suggested June 5, the anniversary of her father’s death, she did not provide the organizers with enough time to make arrangements, and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday in June. Unofficial support from such figures as William Jennings Bryan was immediate and widespread. Woodrow Wilson was personally so feted by his family in 1916, and Calvin Coolidge recommended it as a national holiday in 1924. The all-male U.S. Congress, however, was mindful that passing a measure so favorable to males could be seen as a conflict of interest. Lyndon Johnson made Father’s Day a holiday in 1966, but the holiday was not officially recognized until the presidency of Richard Nixon in 1972.”
Now I suppose Nixon’s motivation could have been, “The greeting card companies will love me for this,” but certainly the original spirit and drive for the holiday seems pretty sincere to me.
PAD
“I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming in terror, like his passengers.” – standup comic whose name eludes me.
Bob Monkhouse, I believe.
I got my Dad ‘Yu-Gi0h! Online’ for his Fathers Day gift. Plus we watched the Doctor Who finale (taped from Saturday) together.
The all-male U.S. Congress, however, was mindful that passing a measure so favorable to males could be seen as a conflict of interest.
Nothing like being a white male in the US – can’t have anything special or it’s a problem. 🙂
But, in the long run, Father’s Day is almost a non-event. It’s Mother’s Day that gets all the attention. So much for conflict of interest. 🙂
But, in the long run, Father’s Day is almost a non-event.
I dunno, the folks at Home Depot might not agree. Had to go to about 4 different locations to find this automatic extending tape measure, with which my Dad will be able to, um, measure extending tape, I guess. Automatically.
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There was a Peanuts Sunday strip where Peppermint Patty asks Charlie Brown what security is, and he replies it’s sleeping in the back seat of the car. Your parents are up front, they’re taking care of everything. But that’s gone forever when you get your license and you’re in the front seat. “Hold my hand, Chuck!” was her response.
Stace and Brian decorated the whole house, streamers going to and from every wall, then BriBri cut out things that Stace had been writing that he was saying (he’s 4, so he’s not up on writing yet) and hanging them on the streamers. Among the “helps me find my stuff” and “plays with me on my purple bike” was “Drives me at night when I can’t sleep.” Who SAYS there’re no universal experiences anymore?
(Truth be told, tho, I think Stacie wrote that one just to give me SOME credit….)
Happy, All.
You guys are the 40680 best, thanks so much for the help.
You guys are the 40680 best, thanks so much for the help.