By Mary Ann Pickard
Is Father’s Day a time to just buy another greeting card or a time to think about what Dad means to you?
I have observed Fathers for close to 60 years. From my own father, to those of my cousins, classmates, students, friends, and especially the one who helped me raise my own kids. I am pretty sure I have personally seen the full range of the worst (those who deny, abuse or abandon) to the absolute best fathers (those who love, respect and protect).The one thing they all have in common is the power to impact their children’s lives.
And, I have to say that I believe the vast majority want to and try to do their best for their kids. As I watch the fathers of the current generation with my wide-angle lens, I don’t think the role has changed all that much. The pace of life and technology may be faster, but the basics are the same.
Recently, I saw an interview with Dr. Wayne Dyer, who was an orphan and foster child but grew up to be a leading author of books on how to raise children. He said that even after raising eight children of his own that he still did not have all the answers to the ongoing challenges. What it comes down to is that fathers need the support of those around them in order to keep up with the tough job they do.
I feel very fortunate that my husband followed his dad’s extraordinary examples. We cannot all have the “Best Dad in the World” as printed on those greeting cards and t-shirts, but we can be thankful for the life lessons we learned, the efforts they made and the time we did or still can spend with all the “dads” in our lives.
Remember, the memories will not be measured in gifts but in the time we choose to spend together.
