This weekend we celebrated Father's Day. A day in which give honor to our fathers for putting up with all the stuff we put them through...or, are putting them through.
For me Father's Day is a little strange. As you age and have children of your own, you are to accept presents from your children then call your father and wish him the same. I witnessed this with my wife and her father this weekend. But what do you do when you don't have a father to call?
This next thought may sound a bit conceited and big headed of me, it's not meant to be...but hear me out.
My mom, growing up said about Father's Day, "You may not have an earthly father, (he passed away when I was young...It wasn't a miraculous conception. I would hate to give you the wrong impression) but you have a heavenly father who loves you." This fell short of a satisfactory answer. It was well intended and I now understand to what she was implying.
To whom does God give thanks? I mean we as his children pour praise and thanks to him, but what does he do? IF he is like me, all this praise and adoration builds up and I want to pass it on...but like me, God can't call his dad and say thanks. He has to just sit there with this stupid goofy grin on his face and look at his children and just be proud...that is if God is like me. I can only imagine that after we give him our hand made cards with chicken scrawl on them and the trinkets that amount to nothing of monetary value that he will beam with all his brilliance and say, "That's AWESOME! Thank you sooo much!" He has to know that in a day or two that we, his children, will forget about the praise we lavished upon him. We will yell at him, slam doors, scream "you just don't understand me!" and yet he will still love us, if God is like me.
We named one son "Laughter" because we were told that we wouldn't have children...and yet he came into the world. At times, I think we named him that because God wanted us to do what Abraham could not. Then the words of the prophet Bill Cosby creeps into my mind with his wise words of wisdom, "I brought you into this world, I'll take you out...and make another one that looks just like you." But I have yet to have to do follow through with this. I don't because they are my kids and I love them.
In closing...Back to my growing up years
I saw a Father's Day picture that really hit home for me. It read "Happy Father's Day to all the Mother's doing it alone." I couldn't agree more. My mother was the best father I had. She wasn't a perfect father, but she was as good as she could be. So happy father's day, mom.
Monday, June 18, 2012
30 years old and grey hair
Now if you've seen the title and are above 30 you might have thought, "this whipper snapper doesn't know what he is even talking about. He's not old! Let him talk about old age and greying hair in 20-30 more years." You are right. I'm not old nor do I probably know what I'm talking about.
If you are under 30 you may be thinking, "Boy, I hope he makes it another couple of years. I wonder if he needs a wheelchair or walker. Does he have arthritis? How does he even move in the morning." To which I respond, "Shut it."
I don't think 30 is old and this isn't a thought about "Woe is me!" I'm actually happy about my age. And even MORE happy about the few grey hairs I have. It is akin to seeing those first couple of chest hairs in your adolescent years or when you realize that you have ONE hair on your chin and think it's time to shave daily.
It is a stage in my life. I am not done changing. I may be twice the man I was in High School, but in High School I didn't have a wife that loved me, two kids whom I adore. I didn't know that I had friends in California, New York and all points in between. Life then was...High School.
I've noticed a few grey hairs in my goatee and a couple on my temples. I smile and realize that when I reach the 60 year mark I will look back at the last 30 years of my life and laugh because I thought I knew what life was all about at 30.
I was telling a friend a story in my life and I used the phrase, "20 years ago..." I won't lie. I stuttered and stopped for a second and thought..."really...20 years ago!" My kids celebrated birthdays and I realized that in 13 more years they will be graduating and going to college. 13 years! That's 13 Christmases, 13 Thanksgiving meals, 13 March Madness'.
Life does move fast. I just hope I enjoy and take it all in before it's too late.
If you are under 30 you may be thinking, "Boy, I hope he makes it another couple of years. I wonder if he needs a wheelchair or walker. Does he have arthritis? How does he even move in the morning." To which I respond, "Shut it."
I don't think 30 is old and this isn't a thought about "Woe is me!" I'm actually happy about my age. And even MORE happy about the few grey hairs I have. It is akin to seeing those first couple of chest hairs in your adolescent years or when you realize that you have ONE hair on your chin and think it's time to shave daily.
It is a stage in my life. I am not done changing. I may be twice the man I was in High School, but in High School I didn't have a wife that loved me, two kids whom I adore. I didn't know that I had friends in California, New York and all points in between. Life then was...High School.
I've noticed a few grey hairs in my goatee and a couple on my temples. I smile and realize that when I reach the 60 year mark I will look back at the last 30 years of my life and laugh because I thought I knew what life was all about at 30.
I was telling a friend a story in my life and I used the phrase, "20 years ago..." I won't lie. I stuttered and stopped for a second and thought..."really...20 years ago!" My kids celebrated birthdays and I realized that in 13 more years they will be graduating and going to college. 13 years! That's 13 Christmases, 13 Thanksgiving meals, 13 March Madness'.
Life does move fast. I just hope I enjoy and take it all in before it's too late.
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