Today is Father's Day. In the photo above, is yours truly - and my father. This was snapped, if I could guess, probably 1986-ish. How do I know, you ask?? Well, maybe it's my Dad's white JORTS that are somehow in a panic trying to get away from his knees. Or maybe it's my shorts, also running away from my knees. If those don't do it for you, it's got to be the tube socks I'm wearing scrunched down to my ankles with the double navy stripes - completely phenomenal. This was my first house and my memories of it are vague - I wish I could remember more of it.
There are a few reasons that this image is of much significance to me. Number 1, well, it's me and my Dad. Number 2, my Dad lost his Dad, right around this time. I'm not sure if it was before or after this photo. But today, as I thought about Father's Day and about me and my Dad, I realized I've never seen my Dad be a Son. I've never seen the interaction between him and his father. I mean, I did, except I was 2 and remember nothing. I thought about how sad it was that I would never see my father look at his father the way I look at mine, nor will I see his Dad look at him, like he looks at me. I called my Dad this morning to wish him a Happy Father's Day and when I hung up, I realized he can't do that. I was grateful.
Being a Father myself I appreciate this photo more than I did before I had son. It's not easy being a Dad and parent. I think the worry that we as parents cast upon ourselves is the worst. Worrying that everything will be ok...that if you're being a good enough parent...if you are doing things right.......but amidst all the chaos, the diapers, the crying and oh yeah just trying to be married (and I only have one kid!) there are moments like these where it all goes away...
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
