On Father's Day . . .

I posted this photo on my Facebook page and loved the wonderful responses - especially from those who knew my father.  Many people knew him like this, doing "The Twist" as our father/daughter dance  (Who does that?) before he got sick and lost a little of that twinkle in his eye.  On Father's Day I love looking back on the many good times.  I have great memories of him coming home from work with a daily joke, hours together in a fishing boat, sitting in a deer stand or slipping through the woods together.  He was a great force and a great man in my life, and still is.  

I have been so fortunate to be surrounded by great men and great fathers.  My brother was another great man and great father.  He was very different than our own father in his parenting - maybe it's a generational thing.  But he had a wonderful and special bond with his son, and also with my boys.  In our own home I love to watch The Husband with our boys.  He is often much more patient and understanding than I am, especially of the constant need to wrestle and rough house.  He gets the mind of a boy.  He also has a great sense of humor to diffuse a situation, knows which "battles" to pick, keeps the boys on their toes, and then doesn't mind them  calling him on his own quirks and differences.  

I've seen these three fathers and watched them "father" in different ways.  I have watched the three of them together hanging out, laughing, and being together as fathers, grandfather and uncles.  For all of their differences they all have had the same heart for their children.  That's what makes them great men and great fathers.  

As my own boys grow into young men I hope to stay surrounded by great men and see them someday be great fathers.  With the same heart as their grandfather, uncle and father.  

So, to all of the fathers, new, old or upcoming, father figures and anyone acting as a father out there . . . Have a GREAT Day!