Another Father’s Day has just passed, the day when all of us who have the name DAD receive gifts and cards from our children. On this day the focus is on us and the accolades are heaped upon us, often in the guise of baseball hats and tee-shirts emblazoned with slogans like “World’s Greatest DAD”.
On this, our one special day, we bask in all the attention and love, thinking that we have been “pretty good dads”. Few of us would dare to think we are the greatest or the best. I myself often feel I have fallen short. There never seems to be enough time for each child, and work, and church, and chores, and projects… You get the picture.
I myself have tried to put my children first, embracing their hobbies and sports and whenever possible, doing things together as a family. With three children, two grown and gone, the last in high school. I can look back on good times and bad. I have my regrets as do we all. Harsh words spoken, moments we missed due to scheduling conflicts and travel.
Every Father’s Day, I think of those DADS that have been so selfless, so strong, and so brave. They do deserve the title World’s Greatest Dad. This past year I have traveled extensively. Whenever I meet our brave service men and women I thank them for their service. Many of them have children; Mom or Dad, halfway around the world, battling for freedom, heroes all.
This year three days before Father’s Day the following occurred in Wadena, a small town in rural Minnesota; a father there was concerned about the bad weather and the safety of his daughter. He owned a small business and it was his day off. His daughter was running the store that day. He stopped in several times to check on her as the weather worsened, just as a good worrisome father is expected to do. His last visit, sirens blaring he rushed into the store, moments ahead of a terrible tornado. He guided his daughter and the one patron present into the cooler and covered them with his own body. They both survived. He did not. The greatest gift a father could give to his child, his life, willingly given for theirs. We would all hope that if faced with similar circumstances we would act in kind. I pray that day never comes, but that I will be ready if it does. In the midst of their loss and grief, his daughter and his entire family, so sad for his passing, must be so proud of his gift of life, his ultimate sacrifice. A true hero, a true World’s Greatest DAD.
On this, our one special day, we bask in all the attention and love, thinking that we have been “pretty good dads”. Few of us would dare to think we are the greatest or the best. I myself often feel I have fallen short. There never seems to be enough time for each child, and work, and church, and chores, and projects… You get the picture.
I myself have tried to put my children first, embracing their hobbies and sports and whenever possible, doing things together as a family. With three children, two grown and gone, the last in high school. I can look back on good times and bad. I have my regrets as do we all. Harsh words spoken, moments we missed due to scheduling conflicts and travel.
Every Father’s Day, I think of those DADS that have been so selfless, so strong, and so brave. They do deserve the title World’s Greatest Dad. This past year I have traveled extensively. Whenever I meet our brave service men and women I thank them for their service. Many of them have children; Mom or Dad, halfway around the world, battling for freedom, heroes all.
This year three days before Father’s Day the following occurred in Wadena, a small town in rural Minnesota; a father there was concerned about the bad weather and the safety of his daughter. He owned a small business and it was his day off. His daughter was running the store that day. He stopped in several times to check on her as the weather worsened, just as a good worrisome father is expected to do. His last visit, sirens blaring he rushed into the store, moments ahead of a terrible tornado. He guided his daughter and the one patron present into the cooler and covered them with his own body. They both survived. He did not. The greatest gift a father could give to his child, his life, willingly given for theirs. We would all hope that if faced with similar circumstances we would act in kind. I pray that day never comes, but that I will be ready if it does. In the midst of their loss and grief, his daughter and his entire family, so sad for his passing, must be so proud of his gift of life, his ultimate sacrifice. A true hero, a true World’s Greatest DAD.
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