父の日
My Father's Day Card
By Tom Krause
For a couple of reasons, Father's Day has been a bummer for me for quite some time now. Having lost my father in an automobile accident fifteen years ago, I would just as soon forget Father's Day and move on with summer. Loving my dad the way I did, I always looked forward to being a father myself. Playing catch, shooting baskets and kissing children good night after tucking them into bed were the special acts of love I wanted to give to my children. After ten years of marriage, however, I realized that those special acts of love would have to remain memories of my father's treatment of me. Due to a medical condition, my wife Kathy and I could not have children. As a schoolteacher, I rationalized that even though I never had children of my own, I still was around them enough to satisfy my parental longings. But something was always missing.
In twenty years of teaching and coaching, I've had the opportunity to teach thousands of students. It is very rewarding for me to watch my students as they change from children to teenagers to young adults. I love when they come back to visit and tell me of their dreams. I still envy parents who visit me during open-house nights at school. I wondered what that would be like to check on a son's or daughter's grades. Still I have my students, and I just convince myself that is enough. But something is still missing. A friend of mine helped me find a part of it.
I had just suffered through another Father's Day, and for some reason this one was one of the worst. Kathy and I had spent the day playing a round of golf, and we were teamed up with a father and his daughter. At one point in the round I heard the daughter say, "Good shot, Dad!" I was saddened when I realized that I would never hear those words from a child of my own. Upon arriving home, I went to the mailbox where I discovered an envelope addressed to me from a young lady named Melanie. Melanie was a former Miss Missouri who had come to speak to my students at school. We had quickly become friends and began speaking together at school assemblies on the topic of "Believing in Yourself." As I opened the envelope, I discovered a Father's Day card with my name on it. On the inside was a note thanking me for being there for so many of my students and a simple inscription - "I Love You, Dad!" As I read those words, my heart melted. I just wanted to dwell in the feeling of warmth and love this simple message had produced. For a brief moment, I had experienced the joy of fatherhood.
To this day, I cherish that act of kindness by my friend. It helped fill a missing part of my life that is special to me. Thank you, Melanie. You're a true friend. It's the only Father's Day card I've ever received.
By Tom Krause
For a couple of reasons, Father's Day has been a bummer for me for quite some time now. Having lost my father in an automobile accident fifteen years ago, I would just as soon forget Father's Day and move on with summer. Loving my dad the way I did, I always looked forward to being a father myself. Playing catch, shooting baskets and kissing children good night after tucking them into bed were the special acts of love I wanted to give to my children. After ten years of marriage, however, I realized that those special acts of love would have to remain memories of my father's treatment of me. Due to a medical condition, my wife Kathy and I could not have children. As a schoolteacher, I rationalized that even though I never had children of my own, I still was around them enough to satisfy my parental longings. But something was always missing.
In twenty years of teaching and coaching, I've had the opportunity to teach thousands of students. It is very rewarding for me to watch my students as they change from children to teenagers to young adults. I love when they come back to visit and tell me of their dreams. I still envy parents who visit me during open-house nights at school. I wondered what that would be like to check on a son's or daughter's grades. Still I have my students, and I just convince myself that is enough. But something is still missing. A friend of mine helped me find a part of it.
I had just suffered through another Father's Day, and for some reason this one was one of the worst. Kathy and I had spent the day playing a round of golf, and we were teamed up with a father and his daughter. At one point in the round I heard the daughter say, "Good shot, Dad!" I was saddened when I realized that I would never hear those words from a child of my own. Upon arriving home, I went to the mailbox where I discovered an envelope addressed to me from a young lady named Melanie. Melanie was a former Miss Missouri who had come to speak to my students at school. We had quickly become friends and began speaking together at school assemblies on the topic of "Believing in Yourself." As I opened the envelope, I discovered a Father's Day card with my name on it. On the inside was a note thanking me for being there for so many of my students and a simple inscription - "I Love You, Dad!" As I read those words, my heart melted. I just wanted to dwell in the feeling of warmth and love this simple message had produced. For a brief moment, I had experienced the joy of fatherhood.
To this day, I cherish that act of kindness by my friend. It helped fill a missing part of my life that is special to me. Thank you, Melanie. You're a true friend. It's the only Father's Day card I've ever received.
posted by fei @ 11:17 AM
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