(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.
