Father's Day - 2012

I'VE SAID IT BEFORE
The past few years I've given you some personal views of Father's Day and told you more than a little about my own father and other fathers in my life.  You can read those entries HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.  That last entry was about Eric and Ben.  Well, Eric is a father for the second time, with Finn joining big brother, Ben just in time to celebrate this year.

MY FATHER
As I've said many times before, my father, Robert J. West, was an uncomplicated man.  He was hard-working and honest and was surprised when other folks he encountered were not.  He led by example and devoted his life to his family and friends.  Not only was he my mentor, scout master and friend, he was the man against whom I measure myself every day.  He died much too soon and never saw a single letter to the editor, commentary or blog entry that I've written.  I think he's looking down now and is probably happy with what he sees.  I hope so.
 
TO ALL YOU FATHERS
I hope every father who reads this today has a wonderful day, surrounded by the ones they love.  Every one of them deserve it.

 

I LEAVE YOU WITH BYRON'S VIEW OF THE DAY
Today I'm going to leave you with  some words from my friend, Byron de Arakal, (shown below with his four great children Jeana, Lee, Melanie and Daniel) as quoted in Tom Johnson's most recent "Fair Game" column in the Orange County Register's The Current edition dated June 13, 2012.  You can read the entire column HERE.  When Johnson inquired about Father's Day with some of his friends, Byron responded thus:

"I'm not a big Father's Day guy.  This probably is not what golf courses, pubs and cigar lounges want to hear, or even other fathers (who use Father's Day as a hall pass to visit golf courses, pubs and cigar lounges). My perfect Father's Day is the small 'f', small 'd' variety. It's all the little instances that take place in the unfolding of a day or over the long haul of years that affirm I didn't take a gargantuan whiff as a father. It's the 'Thanks, Dad' from one of my four spectacular kids when they solicit my advice. It's the hugs from my sons and daughters that come sometimes for a reason and other times for no reason at all. But mostly my perfect father's day lives in my children every day. It's in their character, in the dreams and goals they have for their own lives, in their wins and even losses, and it's in how they treat others and one another. Really, father's day is every day for this dad."

Happy Father's Day To You All