Celebrate the Fathers Who Are There
Two things will happen on June 20, 2021- first, it will be the start of summer and second, it will be Father’s Day. Mny fathers will wake up to hugs and kisses, breakfast in bed, and a day full of presents. There’ll be cookouts and dinners at fancy restaurants. Families will gather to honor fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, and adoptive fathers.
And rightly so, fathers get a bum rap in this country. For every deadbeat dad, there’s a dad who’s up at 5 A.M. getting ready for work, helping their kids prepare for school, and giving mom a break while he cooks breakfast. Fathers are frontline workers at hospitals, police officers in neighborhoods, and soldiers in the military. Many fathers risk their lives to protect their families.
Every year, Father’s Day makes me think of my own father. He left my life over twenty years ago. My father chose to play golf on the day I got married. He didn’t want to lose the $100 fee to play in a golf tournament. I wasn’t worth $100 to my father.
My little godson walked me down the aisle. He was so adorable in his black and white tuxedo. My godson held my hand as we walked towards the Justice of the Peace. The audience clapped and cheered, causing my godson to puff out his chest with pride. It was a beautiful sight.
Ever since that day, my father continued to miss more milestones in my life — graduations, birthdays, holidays, and the passing of my mother. I believe, after all this time, that my father is dead. I wish I could know for certain. But I do know is that Father’s Day is a day to celebrate the fathers who are here now.
