Fatherhood

To the fathers who get up early on saturdays to mow the lawn and fix the sprinkler heads, even after they’ve had long weeks of work and yard work is the last thing they want to be doing. To the fathers who hold the back of the bike seats and run alongside their kids, shouting, “you can do it!!” To the fathers who teach their kids and teach other peoples kids—whether it be a sport or how to fix something on a car or how to fish or how to tie a tie or what to say in a job interview.

To my father, who took his 12 year old to the store when she wanted to buy her first bottle of perfume and helped sample so many on HIS wrist that by the end I’m sure he smelled like the entire garden, but helped me feel confident (that day, and a lesson he made sure I repeated all my life), so I could walk out in the world with my head held high.

To my husband, who was so happy we started our parenting journey with twins because then his arms could always hold a baby too. He has rearranged his whole world to make sure they have everything they need in theirs. He is our family glue that keeps us laughing, keeps the music rolling, keeps us on time and is the rock we all lean on.

To all the men who open their big hearts and love, teach, build, mentor, serve, listen, love… thank you. Happy Fathers Day.

[“Learning to Tie a Tie” 24x24, available at stephaniehock.com]