Thinking about Father's day and Dads

With Father's day approaching, I reflect a little about my kids and grand-daughters. To be honest like most fathers you do the best you can and hope that the good sticks. I guess the greatest compliment is that even as an adult, my daughters still believe I can fix almost anything. Any time something breaks, leaks, squeaks, rattles or just isn't right I get the call "Dad, the thingy on the whats it broke". Have tools will travel. I tell ya WD-40 and duct tape can go a long ways.

Father's day is also kind of sad, because unfortunately there are so many boys that think being a sperm donor makes them a dad. Let me tell you boys, if you haven't been there, for the tears from a bad dream, the sleepless night from because they're sick and miserable, scared out of you mind when they are out of you sight for a split second, to help them blow out the birthday candles, tie their shoes, bandaged the scrapes, share the hugs, tickles and tears, you're not a dad. Dad is a title that's earned, it isn't given with the expulsion body fluid. Dad's don't necessarily have to share DNA. What they have to share is time, wisdom and most importantly love.

In the time I've spent stumbling around this rock, I've seen precious few "men" that are dads. Most claim the title without doing the work. Maybe it's because my biological dad died when I was young, so of course he remains on pedestal today. But I look at the boys (I call them this because of their mental and emotional immaturity) today that father children then move on. Sometimes they are a part of their kids life sometimes not. In my life I've had a number of men that have shaped my character and idea of what a dad is and is not.
I guess you could say I've had a few "dads". I've been fortunate to have had men care enough to share their time, intellect, talent, patience and caring. To make me the person that I am and I hope that I have become someone they can be proud to know.

To the men that taught me how to, ride, drive, fish, hunt, stand up and be accountable, be a man and most importantly a dad. THANK YOU. I wish you were all still here.