Father's Day

(This is a re-worked blog from a couple of years ago. Still holds.)

I wrote once before of the annoyance I feel when strangers "Merry Christmas!" me. (How Dare You Presume I'm Christian? ) I've begun to feel the same way about Father's Day. Why would anyone even say Happy Father's Day to a woman anyway? When the Walmart checker HFD'd me, I bit off a hurt reply as my eyes filled up.

I think "Happy Father's Day" is just not a very happy thing to hear for a whole lot of people, especially in my age bracket where we're losing our parents rapidly. I do wish a Happy Father's Day to people I know, who still have their fathers, and will presumably be celebrating that fact today.

My dad's been gone over 13 years, and Father's Day was a big deal for him and our family. It usually involved fishing, barbecueing, grandkids running around, sunshine, presents, and laughs.

They told me TIME heals, and it's true, I no longer have that ache in my chest, that fresh sense of loss and sadness that was there for so long. The thought of my dad now evokes a sweetness, an immediate enveloping warmth. Like he's hugging me. But not the phrase Happy Father's Day, not yet.

Here are a couple of fathers I DO wish a very Happy Father's Day to, though:

Ron with grandsons Eli and Dylan

Son Jon with  Dylan and Nora

Minnesota Barbecue, with dads Jon, Ron, Rene', and Brian.

Daddy Paul with Linny and our great grandbaby Oliver.

Son-in-law Don, with Caprice, Bryan, Max, and Linny.

Son-in-law Leben, dad to Ruby and Eli.

So I try to forget it's Father's Day. My favorite Dads are hopefully being feted and adored, even if from a distance, and my own Dad is hugging me once again.