Happy Father's Day!

Often times when I'm asked 'When are you gonna settle down, get married and have some kids?', I usually brush it off with an answer that will quickly end the convo (ie: if it's church, I will simply say 'whenever The Lord provides' because I know there is no response to that.... lol). Other times i just attribute it to my fear of commitment, or the fact that I've been such a confidant for so many and personally witnessed both the blissfulness of love and the devastating toll it takes on a person after it doesn't work out; and didn't want to allow myself to be so vulnerable to experience such a low point (of course it also means robbing myself of the high point but I'm ok with that). When it really comes down to it though, the truth is I grew up in a home where i witnessed exactly what it takes to be a 'good husband' and 'good father', and I simply don't know if I have what it takes:

My dad aka Ol' skool aka Pops has demonstrated to me that the word father is actually an action word.

It means taking many trips to the park and teaching me how to ride a bike

It means sitting at the table every night and helping me with my homework

It means 'waiting up' with me when I had a project to finish (note: waiting up usually meant snoring on the couch)

It means also 'waiting up' for me when I was out late (see waiting up definition above)

It means leaving work to pick me up from school when I wasn't feeling good

It means carrying me from appointment to appointment

I means saying 'I'm not hungry' when it's really 'I only have enough to buy you one' when u don't have it,

It means living modestly even when you do have it so that you can afford to put your kids through college

It means selling some of your retirement stock so that I could have a down payment on my place.


Basically, every success I have achieved in life, I have only been able to experience because of my dad's incessant acts selflessness and sacrifice... of course he would say God is responsible and naturally I'd agree, but my dad was even there with me to help and guide me through those moments when I even wondered if God was.

So on this Father's Day, I would like to propose a toast *raising glass (sparkling cider of course)*

To the man that always told me he was proud of me.
To the man that still calls me every day, and still says I love you when he hangs up the phone with me.
To the man that always reminds me the last three letters of my name spell the word 'win' (corny, though it may be) whenever I'm experiencing moments of doubt.
To the man who spared nothing to ensure I'd become something....

I thank you, I love you and I salute you .. Happy Father's Day!!

To all the other real fathers out there I extend the toast to you too.. Happy Father's Day!!!

To those who have a father; I celebrate with you

To those who lost their father; I grieve with you

To those who never knew their father; I grieve for you...

To all the men out there with children, I encourage you to be a father because you know that 'my dad can is superman and can do anything' feeling that little kids get?, well, they'll still have it 30+ years later...

But then again, what do I know .. that I know nothing