Saturday, September 6, 2014

Dear Dad


I didn’t get you a Father’s Day present this year. I’m sorry about that, although I don’t think you’ll mind. Rather than buy something you don’t really need, I thought I would give you something I made myself. It always went down well when I was in primary school.
It’s not a hand-made card or a pencil holder, though. It’s just words, because I am best at writing things down and I think you have always seen that in me and helped me to believe it.
You have always been great at the Dad things - building stuff, fixing stuff, giving directions and having a good laugh. But you’re great at the other Dad things too, which are harder to put a name to.
My first, best memory of you is holding onto your arm and you lifting me off the ground as though I weighed nothing. I could barely fit my arms around yours, but I knew then and I know now that they would never let me fall.
The words “Happy Father’s Day” seem a bit hollow to me. A bit hollow and a bit commercial and a lot about somebody else's idea of what a father means. So I have some others to give you and I hope you like them. I love you, and thankyou for everything.