Father's Day

In the year 2008, today is Father's Day.

I do not have children of my own, therefore, I cannot speak from the view point of a parent, but I can certainly speak from the view point of a daughter.

My own Dad and I have an odd relationship. It was built on the fact that I was the oldest child in an immigrant family and by default I had to be the ground breaker in a foreign society. Needless to say that what was not accepted of me through my formative years, became a ho hum moment by the time my youngest sibling came of age. I laid the groundwork. I broke the barriers. Lets not forget, I am a female.

I attribute a lot of who I've become to my Father. We are both incredibly headstrong so we tend to clash more so than most. Feeling like you are right and the other is wrong is stressful. When it is a parent, oh my but it is grueling.

As I have gotten older, I have come to try to understand my Dad from his point of view. Its not easy. He is not a sitcom dad with all the answers at the end of the half hour program. He is just a human being with all the issues most people have.

If he taught me anything, perhaps he taught me to really believe in myself in spite of our contentious relationship. In an odd and roundabout way he taught me to never fail my dreams. We never had conversations about it, but it was born of how we related to one another.

To a girl, the first real male relationship she has is with her Dad. A lot of that determines what type of woman that girl grows into. To the Dads out there who read this, the only thing I can say is that foremost allow your daughter(s) the ability to realize a self confidence and high self esteem. It is something that is nurtured along the way and will serve her better than anything else you can teach her.

Never forget that as your daughters (can't speak for sons), we are a product of what you help us create. We become who we are, by the foundation you help us build. If you help us build a solid one, we will become strong and remarkable women. If you help us create a weak one, then there will be struggle to build something that will withstand the test of time.

With that I wish you all a Happy Father's Day and this includes the Moms who are also Dads in the lives of their children.

God Bless.