Our fathers … ourselves

It’s Father’s Day weekend. Many of us no longer have our dads physically here to honor with hotdogs and hamburgers on the grill, yet what we do have will last much longer in our souls and hearts than any cookout meal.

What do we have?

We have his photographs. We have his keepsakes. We have his values. We have his lessons. We have his words, which often repeat silently in our consciousness at the times we need to hear them again. Most importantly, we possess some (or many) of Dad’s traits – hopefully, his finer ones.

Take a minute … bring Dad’s face into mind. Think about the ways you are like your father, whether he is here or in heaven. Consider the good parts you’ve inherited, the ones ingrained in your genes. How are you like him? Which of his mannerisms do you perform? What did he teach you? What of him have you passed to your children and grandchildren?

My Papà Louie was a good man. I take immense pride in having inherited many of his characteristics and values. So many, in fact, my husband has nicknamed me “Louzanne.” I have his zest for life, his spunk, his golden heart, his sense of humor, his devotion to famiglia, his frankness, his faith, his caring and his Mr. Fix-it skills.Ten things I learned from my papà:

·      Family first.

·      Have a voice – say what you’re thinking.

·      Have fun everywhere you go.

·      Talk to everyone.

·      Always carry a handkerchief (and in the absence of one, have napkins nearby).

·      Work hard.

·      Always carry cash.

·      Be silly.

·      Love your children.

·      Adore your parents.

We might call him Daddy … Father … Dad … Papa … Babbo (Italian) … Padre … Pa … Pop … Old Man … Pappy … Daddy-O … Dada … Papa Bear … our parent … as many nicknames as there are for the word father, there are dozens of more ways our dads have taught us. Take pleasure in being a combination of him and you.

In life … in death … our fathers … ourselves.

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