Alexis B

Yesterday was Fathers day. It is a day that some card company probably created to help sales of cards and gifts, but for fun I will Google that to see for sure.

The history of Father's Day goes like, in 1909, Spokane, Washington, Sonora Smart Dodd was listening to a Mother's Day sermon. The lecture inspired her to have a special day dedicated to her father, William Jackson Smart, who had brought her up and her siblings single-handedly after their mother died. She could realize the greatness of her father and wanted to let him know how deeply she was touched by his sacrifices, courage, selflessness and love. She held the first Father's Day celebration on 19th of June 1910, on the birthday of her father. The idea soon caught on and in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father's Day on the petition sent to him by Dodd on the acceptance of fatherhood. In 1926, a National Father's Day Committee was formed in New York City. However, it was thirty years later that a Joint Resolution of Congress gave recognition to Father's Day. Another 16 years passed before President Richard Nixon established the third Sunday of June as a permanent national observance day of Father's Day in 1972 in the honor of all good fathers that contribute as much to the family as a mother, in their own ways. Even before Dodd came into the picture, Dr. Robert Webb of West Virginia is believed to have conducted the first Father's Day service in 1908 at the Central Church of Fairmont. However, it was the colossal efforts of Dodd, the devoted daughter of the Civil War veteran who refused to remarry for the sake of his six children and took upon himself all the duties, love and care of a mother, that eventually led it to a national observance.

Ok so my thoughts were once again proven wrong. It does however does not surprise me that it took almost 70 years to have the third Sunday of June as a permanent national observance day of Father's Day. That’s government for us.

Well it has only taken me 30 years of my life to understand in my heart that Fathers and Mothers are something we need to cherish for each second we have them, for we never know when they will be taken from us or us from them. That each day they are alive should be their day. We should always be showing them how much we appreciate "their sacrifices, courage, selflessness and love" they give us daily.

What does F . A . T . H . E . R . S . mean:

F Faithful.
A Always there.
T Trustworthy.
H Honoring.
E Ever-loving.
R Righteous.
S Supportive.

I sure was not the golden child. I sure challenged my parents, family and many others to the limits.

I can say today that I have made my amends with my parents and we have a pretty good relationship. We are Faithful to each other toady in ways I never thought I was capable of and my parents are Faithful towards me. We believe in each other and can see how each other have grown and changed. They are Always there for me as I am for them. There was a time they did not tust me nor did I trust them. Today there is total Trust between us. I know and believe we Honour each other for who we are, for both are strengths and weaknesses. That does not mean that life between us is always a bed full of Roses but we talk and work it out. Before the lines of communications were not open, today they are. Parents are to have unconditional Love for their children and today I see the Ever-Loving love they have for me and I cherish it and try the best I can to give it back to them 10 fold. Righteous, I had to look the definition up for this.
1 : acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin
2 a : morally right or justifiable
b : arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality
3 slang : GENUINE, GOOD synonym see MORAL.

So as far as Righteous I would have to say that both my parents are Genuine, Good and have excellent Morals. If I could only develop totally what they have then I would be a Great person like them.

And finally Supportive, well no individual could ask for a more supportive set of parents than I have. They are there for me in every way possible. I have had my share of rough times and they are always there for me. Sometimes there can be a lot of grief and sorrow before some mutual resolution that works for all can arise but in the end my parents are always there and try to the best of their ability to understand my illness. Since it is one you can not see physically it sometimes very trying and difficult for us all, but as a family we get through it.

So for Fathers Day this year I took my card to my father privately away from the rest of my family, thanked him for being my father, hugged him to show him how much I love him and I also verbalized to him how much I love him and appreciate his love and support to me. I shared a few tears, and went to a lovely brunch we as a family had to honour him as our Father.

JHB, Genius, Dad may not be my biological dad but he choice me, he has provide me with all the above mentioned abundantly and so to I Say to yo DAD a Job Well Done. I love you and am very Proud to have you as my Father. HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

# posted by Alexis @ 9:37 p.m.