Father's Day Gifting

This will be Father's Day #2 without The Man. They say it gets easier. So far, I still think they are full of it. It does not get easier. It never hurts less, just in a different way that you learn to live with. I still miss everything about my dad every single day. I most especially miss his advice. There are many times when I know exactly what he would tell me to do or not do to (Should I get an anchor tattoo in his memory? Ummmm...NO. I can just hear him telling me that money needs to be spent on my kids), but sometimes, I'm not so sure. I most especially wish I could get his advice on the girl-child and her diagnosis. I wonder if he'd say I was doing the right thing or if I should just let her be. He thought she hung the moon and I'm sure he would have had something to say about the subject. I just wish I knew what.

 Not long before my dad died, we were inspired by a church sermon and afterward had a heart to heart. He told me how proud he was of me. He told me he thought I was doing a great job with the girl-child. I told him how proud I was of him and named all the reasons. Best gifts we ever gave each other, right there.

 I wish I could hear him talk. He loved telling me stories about growing up in Tennessee and about being in the Navy. He use to force anyone who came near our house to watch his old Navy slides on a projector. I wish I could hear or atleast remember every one of those stories now.  

 So for those of you who still have your dads, my advice for you for tomorrow would be to forgo the neckties, golf clubs, etc., or atleast, in addition to those gifts, give your dad what he really wants from you and what you really need to give him:

1. Ask his advice on everything you can think to ask. You will need it later, believe me. Ask him about anything you may think you might ever need to know, just in case. He will be glad to know you value his opinion.

2. Tell him why he's awesome. Or write it.  After we lost Dad, we were going through his desk and found a card I'd given him that told him how much he meant to me. He'd kept it where he kept all his other important documents. I also have the comfort of having had that Sunday afternoon heart-to-heart. It means more to me now to know he knew. 

3. Spend some time with him, listening to whatever he wants to talk about. I don't care if it's politics, the weather or his childhood. Let him talk and hang to every word. 

For those of us without our dads, we will honor them through memories and flowers  but more importantly by living out all that our dads worked so hard to teach us. There is no better gift I could give my dad today than to raise my kids the way he raised me, teaching them to work hard, be honest, and be kind to others.

Happy Father's Day, N.G.! You're still The Man.