At church on Father’s Day there were three beautiful stories shared about three great fathers.
One father shared his thoughts about his son who is currently hundreds of miles away doing missionary work. He talked about how proud he is of the growth that his son is going through.
One woman shared her feelings about her father who provided a living for the family, was a bishop in a lay ministry for his congregation, and was always there to talk to his daughter, even though he was paralyzed from the waist down – in the late 1950′s and early 1960′s.
Another man shared his memories of his father who was known throughout the business community as a good and honest man who was always good to deal with.
Photo courtesy of Masterninja.com
These stories are inspiring and wonderful, but they reflect the difficulty that I have had every Father’s Day since I was a teenager. You see, I grew up without knowing my biological father, and my stepfather was a less than ideal role model. I’ve always looked at Father’s Day as a painful experience, when I become acutely aware of what I missed growing up.
We all have our baggage. I really admire the daddy bloggers out there who are willing to admit when they make mistakes or don’t know something. I admire even more the ones that take a stand on important issues and give their hearts to their kids and their wives.
I’m not really afraid that I’m going to become a bad father (when I do have kids) so much as wonder how to be a good father. I’ve read books, listened to advice, and eavesdropped on lots of conversations, so I have lots of good ideas in theory – but we all know how good theory is when your two year old has just put an entire case of toilet paper down the toilet, along with his blocks and the puppy.
So, perhaps some day I will enjoy Father’s Day. Maybe when I’m a father and feel like a success I’ll feel that it’s a day of celebration.
