Fathers and family events

Father's Day is a time to reflect on our families. My father died a number of years ago. As we have significant events in our lives, I miss him. Most of the time I can 'pretend' that he's just away, but I do miss sharing events with him.

I'm grateful for the wonderful fathers around me. I see them in many places, including my extended family. Fathers are so important to the healthy development of children. They provide role models; they help boys understand how best to treat and respect women.

In our family, we have sons-in-law who are very involved in rearing their children. We have a grandson who is following in his father's footsteps as a very engaged father. These are men who are not afraid to nurture. These are the men who show us what fathers should be.