Happy Father's Day to all the dads. I am an orphan. My dad died in 1987. One of our sons took his dad out to breakfast at his favorite diner. I can't duplicate that at home and Jon loves eating the big breakfast there. He has been a good dad to our kids. He was a hands on father, changing diapers and rocking babies. He will occasionally mention he misses the smell of a new baby's neck. Hopefully there will be a few more grandbabies to cuddle.
My dad was a quiet, shy man but as a child I remember well his gentleness. He didn't say often he loved you, but showed it. Those Norwegians are reticent.
We have the national holiday to mark our appreciation. Many cultures and countries have a patriarchal respect for the father. In our Judeo-Christian heritage we have the fourth or fifth commandment, the only commandment that came with a conditional promise. (I was raised in a denomination that called it the 4th. Protestant tradition has different numbering and the specific commandment my church omitted forbidding building graven images. Guess they couldn't give up all those religious statues.) Anyway, God said, "Honor thy father and thy mother that you may live long in the land I am giving you." I know there are many who have had absent or abusive fathers who may struggle with that commandment, but I think you can honor the position even if the respect is not earned.
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