For some people, Father’s day is a dark blip on the calendar only to be celebrated with a gift to oneself (because lets just face it… it’s a good time to buy a TV or any other electronic device) and the proverbial shot of libation. I know... this makes you gasp in horror... but take a moment and think about the following subgroup of people: people of divorce, children of the incarcerate, those that lost their father to untimely death, those men that can’t or don’t have children of their own, children of absent fathers, and of course cabbage patch kids ( someone tell me how they reproduce!!). For this subgroup of people, Father’s day may conjure up the same amount horror that the 40 year old virgin and the 39 year old spinster feel on Valentines day, the entirety of the Christmas season, the 4th of July or any other time of year you are supposed to be getting laid. I know this, because in my early twenties I was one of these people.
It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I was able to “let go” of that anger, (and as a black man… we all know... I love my anger, or at least the media says I do) and reach a point of forgiveness acceptance. It wasn’t until my rowdy core group, as Hank Williams Jr laments, settled down and started having kids of their own that I started to fall in love with Father’s day again. Not because I was living vicariously, (because JESUS I like my house like I like my church QUIET) but because they are just such KICK ASS DADS! I enjoy their joy, and respect the RIDICULOUS amount of work they put into their greatest responsibility. It needs to be commended, and for their joy I say HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!
I guess, in away, that is my Father’s day gift to God, and in a round about way to my own father: the letting go (Cause my dad sure is hell ain’t getting an iPad2 LOL). My friends are great dad’s and one of them made me their child’s godfather, it’s like a grandfather with less responsibility… I get to buy her nice things, see her in church, teach her the stories of our faith in children’s church, when she is old enough... walk her through confirmation, and serve as stakeout partner if she ever loses her mind and dates a cray- cray and her father needs an accomplice (after all, I made an oath in front of God and the entire church, that baptismal covenant has a “keep her from dating a cray-cray” clause). So... with all that…if you have a great father…and he is still a great father… love him a bit more for those of us that wish we had one too. And if you are a great father, remain a great father…because you never know who else it might heal. HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!
i love your posts. they always make me smile. (sorry i am typing one handed these days)
ReplyDeleteMy twin! Reasons like this post are why we are friends :) Well said, sir. Well said.
ReplyDeleteHopefully she will be smart enough to know to keep away from the crazys, for fear of death........ Not really, but it may seem like death. I just hope it never comes to the stake out, although that could be fun.
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