Recently, while watching something on TV, I wish I remembered what show it was; they were talking about Father’s Day. So Father’s Day is the 20th most popular holiday in the US. The top spot is Christmas, second spot Mother’s Day. The person telling this asked if anyone knew of 20 holidays. Then he asked if anyone knew what Arbor Day is because it is ranked 13. Halloween was #3. So ghosts and goblins get more respect than fathers. While that is true in some cases, not in all. So here to the dads! And I have included:

1. The perfect dads
2. The not-so-perfect dads that try
3. The dads that live far away but always are there when the kids need them
4. The dads that did their family the service of leaving them so they could repair themselves
5. The dads knew they were flawed human beings but did their best anyway
6. The dads that get up every day to a job they hate to give their kids a good life
7. The dads that have kids they don’t even know about
8. The dads who had pregnancies end and never got to meet their children
9. The dads who have chronically sick kids and miss a ton of sleep for
10. The dads that have demons that caused them to be bad parents but they fix themselves, as it is never too late
11. The dads that try to fix themselves but fall again and again
12. The dads that save their kids from a bad situation, no matter what it is
13. The dads that had to tell children bad news of their mother’s illness or passing
14. The dads that had to tell their children that one of their siblings didn’t make it home
15. The dads that have to watch their children go down the same path they did knowing that it could lead to destruction
16. The dads that never got to hold a child of their own
17. The dads whom were the dad that the neighborhood went to
18. The dads that taught their kids hunting, fishing, sports, or whatever passion they had to pass to their kids
19. The dads that didn’t have to be but loved their step-kids as if they were their own
20. The dads that adopt their step-kids
21. The dads that work well with the step/biological father of the kids in their home
22. The dads that coach teams
23. The dads that let their daughters paint their nails
24. The dads that tell funny jokes
25. The dads that make the best damn chili-This one is for you Dad!
26. The dads that although bald, still try to brush and style their daughter’s hair when mom is not available
27. The dads that always find a way to surprise their kids with a little treat
28. The dads that create traditions such as going for a soda and $1 worth of candy from a candy counter-Another for you Dad!
29. The dads that let us have things that mom wouldn’t let us have
30. The dads that intercede when the daughter gets an unsolicited cat call or obscene gesture
31. The dads that sit with their daughters and talk with them
32. The dads that let their kids know that their potential is limitless
33. The dads that died before their child was born
34. The dads that talk to their kids even after they have passed
35. The dads that instilled pride in their kids
36. The dads whose kids are furbabies-This is for you, Honey!
37. The dads whose kids go down the wrong path but they still love them
38. The dads that were drop-outs yet their kids get a full scholarship to an ivy league school
39. The dads that take screaming kids out of restaurants to give them a time-out in the van
40. The dads that have had to prepare funeral arrangements for their kids
41. The dads that sit and help their wives through fertility treatments
42. The dads that make sacrifices so that their kids can have the best life
43. The dads who are rocking on their rocking chairs, shooting the bull with other old-timers
44. The dads that have multiple kids but still manage to have special alone time with each
45. The dads that were called the Cool Dad by all the kids in the neighborhood but their own
46. The dads that found a piece of their childhood back when they played games with their kids
47. The dads that weren’t as hands-on as their kids would have liked, but managed to still do all the specific things the child asks
48. The dads that show their daughters strength and their sons respect
49. The dads that go hungry while they make sure their kids eat
50. The dads that make us, whether traditionally, in a lab, or by whatever means. We are here because of you!!! For some of you, this is a day of appreciation. And for some, it is a day of shame. Whatever is the badge you have earned, WEAR IT! If you don’t like the badge, change it. If your child was conceived through violence, do the one thing in your life that makes you redeemable. Stay out of their life. This is the only fathers I say this to. If you are dealing with addictions, get help. Not for the kids, but because you want to be a role model for them.

Not all of us are granted with a great father. Some don’t learn the skills until much older, some never do, some gives glimpses of greatness that can be even more painful because we get a glimpse of the dad we should have. So on this Father’s Day, thank you to all the dads that try, all the dads that will get there, and all the kids even though they aren’t good at showing it, loved their kids more than the breathe in their bodies.