Fathers’ Day

I pose the same question for Fathers’ Day as I did for Mother’s Day. Please note where the apostrophe is. Thanks to Bonnie for telling me it is for individual mothers. Is it also for individual fathers?

For this day I pay a general tribute to all the men I know who are fathers, but especially to my two sons, remarkable fathers that they are.

For Garrett who believes he will have to live with a shotgun by his side to protect his precious baby girl, Kat. She is a beautiful child with ginger hair and china blue eyes, just like her father. I love how he searches the internet for ways to style his daughter’s hair. How they dance together. How he has meaningful conversations with Gabriel while manning an X-box control. How he is evolving as a man to better lead his children into their no doubt bright future. Bright, because of him.

For Darrell who has waited so long for fatherhood. He and Benjamin are poetry in motion, living art. Benjamin, who so looks like his mother but is his father all over, except for the mischief that turned my hair grey at the tender age of 24. Benjamin, who doesn’t cry when he falls because his Daddy always tells him: “You’re OK, Buddy. Brush it off.” How adorably his little hands swipe his belly or legs to brush off the hurt. With a Daddy like Darrell, it is easy to just brush it off. Benjamin, who runs through the house, shouting at the top of his lungs: “Daddy! I love you!” And Darrell, shouting back: “Benjamin! I love you too!” And the hugs. The tender hugs.

I never knew what a good dad was until my sons became fathers. From them I learned to appreciate fathers. Never having had one, it was kind of hard to revel in Father’s Day. Now, because of my sons, I do.

Small aside: because I was a single parent, my kids treated me on Mother’s as well as Father’s Day. So, this entry is also for mothers who do double duty. In case I didn’t include it in the Mother’s Day entry: kudos to the fathers who do double duty.

But this isn’t about me; it is about all those great fathers, so vital to shaping their kids’ lives. My hat is off to you. You deserve more than just a day of tribute… but then, not every day can be Fathers’ Day, can it?