Father’s day really sneaks up on you, doesn’t it? Every year I plan to be prepared and have a card in the mail a week ahead, and perhaps a small gift too. Then every year it’s the Friday before Father’s Day and facepalm with a “crap I did it again”. My sister is usually the one to remind me but this year she was caught unawares as well. It feels really awful to think we let him down, that he will assume we forgot again, which technically we didn’t, we just remembered too late. And our dad is awesome and he deserves better from us, so sis and I collaborated and this is our Father’s Day card to you Dad.
You are the strongest man we know. You carried one of us on your shoulders when we were tiny for three miles in the pouring rain on top of your 50 pound pack. You worked tirelessly on our cabin, building it all by yourself with mom by your side. You taught us to waterski, and how to chop wood, and how to get dirty and not care.
You have always been the one we call on for help and support. Even with our husbands by our side, we still trust YOUR decision in the end. You have helped us build our life (literally) and homes, teaching us and our partners every step of the way.
You are generous and kind. You had a hard life growing up, with little love from your own father, but you are not him, Dad. You played barbies with us, you let us put barrettes and ribbons in your hair while you marked papers, and you sang Puff the Magic Dragon and rubbed our backs until your throat was dry and your arm fell asleep. You welcomed your sons in law with open arms and an open heart, patiently teaching them the things you know and felt they should learn.
You are witty and smart. You taught science for 30 years, earning the accolades of your contemporaries and awarded the Prime Minister’s Excellence in Teaching, as you should because you were the best teacher anyone could ever have. You entertained while you taught, making the lessons fun and exciting not just in your classroom but in everything you did. You chose our mom as your life partner, which is probably the smartest thing you could have ever done, and together the two of you created a life for us most children can only dream about.
Dad, you set the bar high for our husbands and men everywhere. Your love, patience, strength and compassion combine to make you who you are.
You are our Dad, and we love you.
Happy Father’s Day daddy.
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