Father’s Day Changes During Your Lifetime

Father’s Day means different things at different stages of your life.  When you are young it’s all about your father and trying to do something nice for him.  It might be making a hand-made card or buying a small gift which actually your mother bought because you didn’t have any money.  However you are often as excited to give the gift as Dad is to receive it.

Then you get to your teen-age years where often if’s the day before and you’re scrambling for a gift and a card which you do partly out of obligation…of course you still love the man but when you’re a teenager your more focused on yourself. As you get older and enter adulthood you come to that point where you truly appreciate having Dad in your life and once again get excited about finding a gift which shows how you feel.

It’s around that time when you might become a father so the day takes on a different meaning because now you are the receiver as well as the giver.  This stage can go on for many years but at some point it takes another turn because your father passes on and while you enjoy the attention of it being YOUR day you miss sharing it with the man you once made cards with crayon for.

Like many of you I have gotten to that stage in my life and for the past few years all I wanted for Father’s Day was to spend it on the beach and have my children with me. However life took another turn just over four years ago when my son Brandon became a father but fortunately Carter loves the beach so that’s where we’ll be on Sunday.  No doubt I’ll be thinking of my father and father-in-law who I miss dearly but I know the day will be great because of those I still have to share it with.