Reece Gardner: Who is a Dad?

Father's Day became a National Holiday when President Nixon signed it into law in June, 1972. Up until that time there had been calls for this recognition to occur, such as these words from an Arthur Godfrey song, "If it hadn't been for Father, would your Mother be your Mother, so remember Dad on Mothers Day."

I would like now to share some messages appearing this year on Father's Day cards:
(1) Dad, thank you for your time which you give daily, your care which you give freely, and your love which you give unconditionally;
(2) Dad, you've made all my favorite memories;
(3) Happy Father's Day! You did great - I turned out perfectly;
(4) Fathers and Kids may not always see eye to eye, but they always see Heart to Heart;
(5) I wouldn't trade you for anything, Dad. I mean, nobody's offered me anything, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't;
(6) Although we may be separated, your guidance and love has stuck with me through it all.

And these quotes: "A Dad is a most ordinary man who is turned by love into the biggest hero, adventurer, storyteller, and singer of songs." "A Father is someone you look up to, no matter how tall you grow." "A Father is neither an anchor to hold us back nor a sail to take us forward, but a Guiding Light whose love shows us the way."

So who is DAD? For the young son, Dad stands for all he wants to be in life "when he grows up." He watches with eyes and ears how Dad lives, whether it be in the home, on the job, or in their time of recreation as a family. This takes place on a daily basis in his life until one day he will push "Play," and become a Dad himself.

For the young daughter, Dad is her knight in shining armor with the responsibility to protect her, yet tender enough to shower her with his unconditional love when she needs to know he's there. Dad remains "Daddy" through the turbulent years of teenage trials, then with a falling tear and trembling lips she kisses "Daddy" on the cheek at her wedding in hopes she is marrying someone who will love and protect her "Just like Daddy did."

Now these words of appreciation to Dads everywhere. We applaud you as you sacrifice for your family in so many ways, yet also encourage you to give your most valuable asset to your children as much as possible which is of course your time. There is a statement that says "Time is of the essence," and this is indeed the case when Dads and Kids interact. Thank You for working, planning, caring, teaching, and yes, Learning about being the best Dad you can possibly be. In a world that says "can't", thank you for saying "CAN TOO!"

Now for a little humor: It was a long day at work, so George decided to leave his office and walk to the bar across the street to have a few drinks. The rain was pouring as he stepped out and there was a big puddle in front of the bar. As he crossed the street, he noticed a ragged old man was standing there with a rod and casting a line into the puddle.

His curiosity aroused, he stopped next to the old man and asked him what he was doing. "Fishing," said the old man, without looking at George. "Poor old fool," George thought, and he invited the old man to a drink in the bar.

He felt he should start some conversation while they were sipping their drinks, so he thought he'd humor the old man, and asked, "Well how many have you caught?", to which the old man replied, "You're the eighth."

Have a GREAT day!