SUDDENLY SOUTHERN
June 2000
I know that sometimes we tend to spend a little too
much time complaining about our husbands in chat. Although I really only do it
in a light-hearted manner, and, of course, NEVER say anything that isn't a
fact!! hehehe
But, as Father's Day approaches, I will say this:
I am married to a wonderful man who couldn't possibly be a better father
to our children. Well, maybe if we won the lottery and he quit his job... but...
LOL even then, it would be more quantity, surely not more quality, since I can't
see how he could possibly improve.
He is patient with them, he listens
and responds without EVER talking down to them (even if that means sometimes a
few longer words go right over their heads, and once or twice I've seen their
eyes sort of glaze over- but that's a good thing, too - they have great
vocabularies!). When a man can sit at the dinner table, and spend 30 minutes
explaining the concept of the "speed of light" to his 6 yr old son, without
getting exasperated... I'm in awe. And I thank God that my children ask those
kinds of questions, and that they have a father who can answer them in a way
that they can understand.
And when a father re-arranges his hectic work
schedule to coach his daughter's Odyssey of the Mind team for two years, just
because he truly enjoys spending the time with young people and their amazing
minds and wants them to learn to use those minds... I am in awe again.
And he works long long hours and misses out on a lot of his children's
lives - not because he likes work so much, but because he truly believes that
their mother should be at home with them whenever humanly possible. The
knowledge inspires me to be a better mother, to make his sacrifice worthwhile.
He's a father who teaches his children by example. He teaches them
honesty and integrity and the value of hard work and your best effort. He
teaches them to respect themselves, their friends, their teachers, adults and
their mother. And he does it all by showing them how HE respects all of those
people, too.
Sometimes I catch myself wondering how he learned to be
such an incredible father. At first I think his love for his kids is the obvious
answer. But surely all fathers love their children? Most of them, anyway. And
yet not all of them strive to be good at being a father.
And then, the
answer comes to me. I remember the man I had the priviledge of knowing for all
too short a time - my husband's father. The answer is so simple. John had such a
wonderful example to follow.
And so does my son.
So, fathers...
remember this: You are not only your children's father. In a way, you're also a
father to your grandchildren. Are you the kind of father you want your
grandchildren to have? I think you are.
The best way to honor YOUR parents, and the job they
did raising you, is by being a good parent yourself.
Happy Father's Day!
