Dad and meI’d totally forgotten that today is Father’s Day until I saw marjoriemoon’s Page with the lovely song. It got me to reminiscing about my own father who passed away more than 30 years ago. I wish I’d gotten to know him as an adult…I still miss him, so I decided to create this impromptu Page in his memory.

You dads realize how special you are, right? My world revolved around my dad. He was a bright shining sun, a king, a super-hero, and a knight in shining armor all rolled into one. He had a ferocious temper, but he was always fair. His love & approval meant everything to me, and I never once doubted that love or his belief in me as a valuable human being who could do or be whatever she set her mind to. That is a priceless gift to give a child as it lasts a lifetime.

He did all sorts of wonderful things. He took us on long road trips for vacation. We camped out on the Gulf Coast for several days once each year, swimming, making campfires…I can still smell the salty air and the old Coleman stove & lantern. He told me bedtime stories every night without fail, wonderful tales, many of them made up on the spot based on my requests. He made me gumdrop trees in the fall out of fallen bare tree branches that he spray painted silver and stuck the gumdrops on. He built me a beautiful playhouse with bright blue trim. When I was very small, he created handmade wooden jigsaw puzzles for me that my mom then painted. I wanted to have a pirate party for my 8th birthday, so me built me a totally awesome pirate’s chest. Oh, and the Christmas & Thanksgiving traditions—I don’t know how he managed it, but we always got what we really, really wanted for Christmas. And he was an amazing cook, much better than my mom!

He was a hard-working man who, even though he never graduated from high school, was a voracious reader. He would get up in the wee hours of the morning to read before going to work. No matter how early I rose, I would find him sitting at the kitchen table with a book and a cup of coffee. He read himself to sleep as well. He was like a walking encyclopedia—I don’t recall ever asking him a question that he didn’t know the answer to. And he instilled his love of reading in me; another great gift from which I’m still reaping rewards to this day.

Anyway, I’m rambling, albeit on purpose. I just wanted to remind you dads of how very important you are to your kids, of how deeply they cherish you and revel in your attention and approval. To be held in such high esteem and to be able to grant great happiness with something as simple as a gumdrop tree or a smile & nod of encouragement is truly something special. No one else will ever look at you through such loving, awestruck eyes for as long as you live. Hold on to that thought today.

Happy Father’s Day. ;o)