Father’s Day has to be the easiest celebration to plan for of the year. A celebration, that if left up to dad, would not have to go ahead at all. Because really all dads want is just to be left alone.
My dad never wanted a fuss. His idea of a perfect Father’s Day would be, after watching an afternoon of golf, he would get off the couch to find a perfect outline of himself in potato chips.
We were never a huggy-feely family that shared a lot of emotions to let old Dad know we loved him. I remember once hugging my dad, which greatly surprised him.
My dad was a kidder, he loved to laugh. And that one of the things I really enjoyed growing up was his laughter. A house is so much better with laughter. My happiest childhood memories revolve around my dad when he was happy.
If there was ever a time that I had the chance to show my dad how much I appreciated him it wasn’t on a Father’s Day, but was when he and I drove up to Fort St. John in northern British Columbia together. I was doing a plumbing job there and he came along for a two-day drive and then I flew him back home. The scenery and one-on-one time spent together for the two days was a time he more than once thanked me for and I was lucky he gave me the chance to do it before he passed away
I’ve been blessed with several days in my life that I would describe as a day that I’m so proud to be a father to each one of my kids. It hasn’t been with cards, gifts or dinners bought. But something that each one of them has done within their own lives that made me proud and made me think this dad thing is all worthwhile.
So this Father’s Day, phone dad, buy him a dinner, play a round of golf, take him fishing or just tell him you understand and leave him alone. That’s what my kids do for me.
Because Father’s Day is not found in days paid for and expected, but in days that your kids have worked for and made sacrifices within themselves to achieve their desired goals. And then they make you so proud that you get the chance to stick out your chest and say, “That’s my kid! Do you know what they just did?”
All the work, prayers, hopes and dreams a dad puts into a kid suddenly sprouts.That’s Father’s Day.
Bob Niles