Fathers Day
When I think of today I think back many years to my childhood and young adulthood. These were the years when my dad was still with us here on this Earth. I’ll do my best to share a few memories I have and put them in perspective regarding how they have affected me.
I was the youngest of three sons, so my dad was a little older when I was growing up. He was 36 when I was born, so most of my childhood and young adulthood was my 40′s and 50′s. I suspect that being the last child and one that came later made the novelty wear off a little, but I have no real complaints.
My dad was a veteran of World War 2, having served in the 3rd Marine Corp Division at Iwo Jima. This singular event was something I never fully grasped until a number of years after his death. Iwo Jima-Iwo as he called it when he referred to that time. In comparison to today’s veterans, my dad and his friends rarely talked about these times and I suspect now I know why. He commented shortly before his death that he was always thankful for his life, even though he died at 59, because he never expected to come back from the Pacific. If the movie representations shown in recent years are anywhere close, I now know why.
My life growing up in the quiet town of Lincoln, IL was full of spending time with my dad and his friends. I can remember so many of them very vividly; John Daugherty, Paul Yarcho and 3 of my four uncles; Paul Mahler, Greg Fitzpatrick and Lowell “Nip” Young, always come to mind. They were all good drinking buddies, loved to play cards together and all great family men. It is so sad that all of them have passed away except for Uncle Greg. They were great.
The most important thing I remember about my dad was that he intervened when he needed to, but otherwise he kind of kept to himself. My career path was going to be significantly different than his and I suspect it was challenging and foreign to him when it came to where I wanted to attend school and then what I wanted to do.
I feel very fortunate to have two wonderful sons and a fantastic wife. The Lord has blessed me abundantly with these relationships and so many more that we have forged during this life. I am grateful to both my biological and heavenly father for all that they have provided, and continue to provide to me.
I hope all of you out there that are fathers will have a wonderful and blessed Father’s Day!
