Happy Father's Day – To Some Of Those We Need To Remember
It’s Father’s Day – So, Happy Father’s Day to all you fathers out there.
But, today we need to say Happy Father’s Day to some that won’t hear it, and we need to be close to children to whom today will be a day of sadness while to others it’s a day of joy.
Let me explain…
One of the things I do as a hobby to maintain my sanity is collect insects. Some would say I’m an amateur entomologist. To me, it’s a fun outlet for some time and I get to teach kids about bugs every now and then. One of my favorite bug hunting areas is a local military cemetery, where with the approval of the grounds folks, I’ve managed to bag some interesting specimens.
Last Father’s Day I took part of the afternoon to do some bug hunting, after all, I had the day off. While driving and walking around, I noticed that there were a large number of cards and flowers by the graves. And I saw mothers and children at tombstones, looking intently, crying, and leaving cards, letters and flowers. Upon closer inspection, I realized that in many cases these were Father’s Day cards, notes and flowers that were being left by very young kids at the graves of their father. When I guestimated the age of the kids and compared it with the death dates of the fallen soldier, I realized that in many cases the soldier may have hardly known their kid and in many cases, the kid remembers his father as a tomb stone in a cemetery.
Many of these kids and families won’t know the pleasures of taking their kid to school, playing baseball, going to church and the movies, taking a trip to Disney. These fathers won’t see their kids grow and be there for them, and these kids will not have their fathers there when they need or want them.
To these Fallen Fathers, I say Happy Father’s Day, and thanks for your sacrifice and commitment to keep this land free for not only your kids but those of the rest of us.
For the kids, let us not forget them on this Father’s Day either. Should any of us know a kid whose father has fallen in the service of this country, let us be committed to being part of the resources that they will need while they grow and develop. We can never be their father, but we can be a good uncle or aunt, brother or sister…or friend.
I’m Don Rima and on this Father’s Day, that’s the way I feel, From Where I Stand.
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