Lovely morning for Fathers' Day

 Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2001 at 08:16:33 AM EDT---Originally written this date

Cheerfulness is the atmosphere under which all things thrive---J. P. Richter

To all the fathers, dads, pops, etc., may this day be a super one!  Add to that, all the moms who do it on their own, either by choice or circumstance.  Add to THAT, families, friends, fosters, adoptives and relatives who do it because the REAL ones can't or because they have chosen a different lifestyle and can't be "bothered."  There are times when we wish our children would stay on the young side.  I, for one, love watching them grow.  Young is good, but who the heck misses the late hour wake-ups or the pre-potty days?  You love, you watch, you love, you teach, you love, you share, you love, you spend, you spend, you spend.  You hope they retain MOST of what you teach, and, when they leave the nest, you miss them but you feel great because you know they have a strong foundation.  Ego gets a big boost when you see them do well, especially when they do it without asking your opinion.  My gosh, they DID listen to some things!  After awhile, the phases pass and they begin accepting responsibility.  Think about it, you don't see many CEO-s with pierced noses or tongues...THERE IS HOPE!!!  Most kids turn out okay...it's just that some of us have to pray a little harder.  And, remember this: You get to inflict karma when you become a grandparent!  YAY!!!

It's ice cream season.  Nothing like a hot, humid evening, standing in line waiting to pay a buck seventy-five for a scoop of chocolate, rocky road, pineapple, oatmeal or whatever flavor and then putting up with mosquitos, unattended dogs, screaming kids with black sweat rings on their necks and the odor of six little league teams celebrating their 74-3 victory.  You can't do that in Rejkjavik!

Simple pleasures: Sitting on the porch sharing stories of growing up, listening to the ball game in the dark, wishing there were still drive-in movies, watching the kids play hide and seek.  For those of you on the rear deck or wallowing in your central air conditioning, you REALLY don't know what you're missing!  After a tough day's work and a nice shower, there's nothing like being out and feeling the cool of the evening.

I'll dispense with the quips and odds today...just go out, enjoy the day and say "thanks" to God that you're able to be here...all because your dad played the original "Parent Game."  God bless!