Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all of you fathers. I'd like to reflect on my own father for a moment. He passed away from cancer in 1997,  just before his 81st birthday. I still miss him.

Was he perfect? No, of course not. Did he always say the right things? No. Did he always do the right things? No. But he was there. When something broke, he fixed it. When we needed something, he was there to give it, and not always without a lecture. He taught me that to be on time was to get there at least five minutes early. He taught me that you earn what you get. Hard work and integrity pays off, and that your work defines you. He believed that we are all here to help each other and he told us that success was good as long as we remembered to give back.

Dad had a lot of people who loved him. He was jokingly called "The Mayor" in his neighborhood. When someone needed help, he was the first to show up, sometimes carrying his toolbox. He volunteered his services when the local church was having a 'hoagie' drive. He was there assembling the submarine sandwiches the night before deliveries. Eventually, he joined that church.

He wasn't a demonstrative person. He didn't show a lot of affection, but we all knew it was there. We just knew that although he was tough on us, he cared. He cared about his family, and he cared about his community, and he cared about mankind, in general.

Dad? If you can read this from Heaven, I just want to say "Happy Father's Day" and "I love you." Your daughter, Carole

And a special Happy Father's Day wish to my son Eric, who couldn't wait to be a father. Unfortunately The Lord took him before he got to hold his son. But I know Eric is watching him from above.