Happy Fathers Day

There are many ways to measure success, not the least of which is the way your children describe you when talking to a friend. - Author Unknown

This week like every other 3rd week of June that I remember, fathers are in the news. Celebrities and presidents are speaking of memories of their dads or the importance of being a good father. I pay attention. I'm not saying that I don't also pay attention to Mother's Day. Mothers get plenty of attention and rightfully so. Seems like there are many more good mothers (including my own) than there are good fathers so in addition to a day set aside to appreciate us, we also get reminders and lectures on the importance of being a good one.

I had a good one.

I want to make sure he knows because now that I am a father of three teens, I'm constantly asking the question of myself. Am I doing a good job? Will they recover from my mistakes? Am I a good role model? Always questions! So although I don't yet have the answers on how I am doing as a father, I wanted to provide some answers to him.

He showed me that just simply "being there" for your kids was important. He made it to all teachers meetings, plays, concerts, sporting events, and even put in the required coaching duties

I know that racism is wrong because of my dad. He came from the segregated south and when I was 8 we were visiting his home town and we went to the public pool for a swim on a hot sticky summer afternoon. The pool was surrounded by chain link and as all of us white children were enjoying the cool water, dozens of sweaty black children hung on the fence and stared at us. I asked my dad why they weren't swimming and he explained that they weren't allowed and that the law was wrong and people were stupid and we left.

I know how to work because of my dad. After a few decades of white collar work, he took an early retirement to move to Minnesota to be by my mom's parents. The idea was to get another job suited to his talents and management skills for the last ten years of his career. The December after they moved I went out to visit and watched him pump gas in the minus 20 degree wind chill. Jobs he was looking for were slow in coming so instead sitting and waiting and whining he worked at the local gas station until an administrative position opened up at the local college.

I want to contribute to make the world better because of my dad. After he finally retired he volunteered to work with kids in the school system. Most of the grandparent volunteers wanted to work with the younger elementary children, but dad volunteered in the middle school for over ten years. He received a Volunteer of the Year award and today hundreds and hundreds of kids(and now adults) call him grandpa in addition to his own 7 grand kids.

So Dad...just in case you didn't already know this...you are a good dad and I'm proud to be your son. I hope I live up to your example. Love, Jim