A Letter to My Father, and My Brothers, and a Short Note To Other Men Who Are Also Fathers

Happy Father's Day, yo!

To my dad - I LOVE YOU! You're swell, did you know? Thanks for being such a strong patriarch in our family. You always have the best advice, and I love chatting with you about anything, spiritual, philosophical, or social. Thanks for letting me talk about boys sometimes after church dances, when I was in a talkative mood. Thanks for letting me be sullen sometimes, when I wasn't in a talkative mood, like a teenager (and young adult) is apt to be every once in a while. Thanks for making me bagels and sandwiches whenever I asked for your "help" - and thanks for using those times as opportunities to teach me spiritual lessons, like about the law of tithing: 1/10 of gifts and blessings ought to be given back to the Maker :). Thanks for rollerblading with me down our driveway, and for going star-gazing at 2 in the morning. Thanks for staying up late to play games you don't much care about. Thanks for always being excited when your father's day gifts were gatorades and power bars...(seriously, I thought those were the best gifts a person could give/receive until I was about 15 and realized people might prefer getting non-food gifts usually...) You and mom are the biggest blessings in my life, and I just thought you should know.

(I also know you and mom won't like the face I'm making in the picture above - but TOO BAD!!!)

To my brothers (who are all fathers this year! Welcome to the club, Z) - I wish you a wonderful Father's Day! I love you lots and appreciate having you in my life! You've been such blessings to me, and you've played such a large part in rearing me these 26 years. Thanks for teaching me how to be awesome like you.

To all other dads out there - you're so great! Enjoy your day! You really deserve it.

And don't judge my card...I'm still learning how to use my computer, so it wasn't until after I had written the card out backwards so it would show up correctly on the camera that I realized I could flip the picture with my computer program...oh well. And when I first made it, the picture I drew was of me and my dad (can't you tell?!), but anyone who is not my dad can interpret it as you and your daughter (or son with long hair, if you have all boys), or as your children, if you have a mix of sons and daughters. And you probably would've done that yourself, so you didn't need me to explain all of your options to you, I'm sure...

Anyway, happy day, dads! Hope it's a wonderful day for you!