A Father's Day to Remember

A memory.

Father�s Day is a day to celebrate the contributions fathers make in raising their offspring. One of the ideas for creating a day for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington by a woman, Sonora Smart Dodd while she listened to a Mother�s Day sermon in 1909. After her mother died her father, William Jackson Smart, raised her and five siblings by himself. She wanted him to know how special, courageous, selfless and loving he had been for the sacrifices he had made in raising the family.

In 1926 the New York City a National Father�s Day committee was formed. By a Joint Resolution of Congress in 1956, Father�s Day was recognized. Then in 1972, Richard Nixon established the third Sunday of June as the permanent day to observe this special day.

Mother�s Day, on the other hand, has deep historical roots. Mothers deserve every courtesy, every honor, and every tiny bit of respect from their children and her mate for bearing each of them and all that she does. In part, Father�s Day is intended to compliment Mother�s Day in honoring both mother and father.

Compliment?

Now I have to wonder what that means?

Years ago, on Father�s Day when my kids were still little kids, Stephen, my middle son, asked me why we went all out for Mother�s Day but when it was Father�s Day not much was done for good old Dad. Since Mom was sitting right there, pretending to be occupied with her knitting, I knew I had to be very, very
careful in my reply, and not �dig� that proverbial hole that we men often dig for ourselves. I had to come up with something that answered the question and not bury myself.

At that point my warped sense of humor took over. This is what I told him:

�Since Day One, it was the mothers to took care of their children, did all the dirty work at home; her days were long and filled with all the little pains and exasperations of taking care of the whole family. So mothers deserved one day out of the year where the whole family expressed their appreciation for all she did. Over time that day of appreciation grew extravagant efforts, the flowers, the gifts, and rightly so.�

Those knitting needles were still going, but I knew those ears were finely tuned, right on channel.

�All this time men kept quiet because they knew what was good for them. (He was a little to young to understand the term �sleeping on the couch� meant.) But one day back in my great-grandfather�s day, men became jealous and wanted a day of their own, just a day for good old Dad. No extravagant gifts, no flowery cards, just a day, I guess, just to be remembered.�

� So women, knowing how we men were always trying to sneak off for a quick round of golf or any opportunity to drowned a few worms, decided to let us have one day, mind you only ONE, where we could play golf, go fishing, or just be lazy without feeling guilty.� (That actually brought a smug little smile to her face. I knew then I had escaped unscathed for once.)

Then, came THE question!

�So what do you want for Father�s Day?� Now this made me wonder if, by some strange chance, if she had put him up to handing me the shovel to �dig that hole.� I had to think fast so I grabbed him and started tickling him so I wouldn�t have to answer. The gods must have been smiling on me right then because,


Aaron, Chris and Laura, the other three, hearing his shrieks of laughter came running. As I wrestled with him on the floor the others piled on and the war began. Out numbered, four to one, the tide quickly turned and it was me on the �losing� end. There just isn�t much a man can do other than keep up the good fight.
Losing? Never!

All of my kids are now grown and on their own but Father�s Day for me is three hundred and sixty five days a year, every year.

Reviews

[Lily1111]

This was absolutely endearing and delightful. I could almost hear the knitting needles clicking! I smiled as I read as I read this. Your children are fortunate to have such a wonderful father. I lost my father 3 years ago, missed him sadly yesterday. Great write!

[emmajoy]

What a wonderful piece of writing! Apart from the interesting facts, there's real humanity in this, merely by your observations of what to do and what to say. I laughed aloud at your comments about your wife listening, cos I guess that's what wives do!

The ending was/is lovely, cos I think you meant that being a loving and loved father isn't just for one day a year but all the year round. (maybe you'll tell me I'm wrong?!)

We have Father's Day here this coming Sunday and I'll be thinking of my darling daddy up there in the clouds, looking down and knowing his family is thinking great memories.

Have a wonderful day, even if you're not allowed to fish or play golf!

[Evil_Angel]

This was so interesting and enjoyable to read. Haha you are right in being careful what you say to your wife haha! My boyfriend knows that well, it made me laugh. I loved this, thank you for your review and for sharing.

[Ron B]

You are so right ShadowWolf.

[[untitled]]

No surprise here! Wonderful story, heartily told.

[Ruby Moon]

haha...the story and description made me laugh out loud
^-^
but the last sentence sounded so sad and lonely...