Fathers Day

Today is Fathers Day, everytime I try and write something meaningful about Dad it comes out as trite and a bit like the insert to a cheesy over commercial Fathers Day card. I put this down to my entire internal monologue being taken over by Douglas Coupland. I guess that's the penalty you pay for reading nothing but jPod over a weekend. Everything feels like it's coming out in a post modern ironic tired of global capitalization and google type way. Sigh.

Anyway, I shall fight the feeling that this may sound hollow and get on with it. Things I love about my Dad.

When I was small he used to talk to me whilst I had my bath, I loved these bedtime rituals of him sitting and talking to me about my day whilst I got ready for bed. I wonder if when I got older my banishing of him from the bathroom made him sad.
He took us on walks on Saturday afternoons and made me laugh. Alot.
He introduced me to the only way to walk up hills, mountains and home. Slowly, one small step at a time. Keep going.
He put our relationship on the line to bring me back to God. I'll never forget that night when he challenged me about how I was living.
When all I wanted to do was fight and get out the spiky feelings inside he let me fight him and held me until all my energy went.
He's got a really really really long fuse, but when he gets angry... (run)
He doesn't say it very much but I know that he loves me.
When he does say it I know that he means it.
He's really good at making things, and I really loved building things with him when I was growing up.
One day he's going to really know how loved and appreciated and valued he is for just being Him. I can't wait to see the smile on his face when he gets to see how much God really thinks of him.
He really loves God and has lots of wisdom.
When he described me and my brother as friends recently it made me very happy.
He's generally always right, annoyingly so.
He's great at sharing deep moments of the soul with, silences in the Peak District, playing me songs, loving and sharing in the poetic moments of this life.
He's really generous.
He knows me really well.
He's not perfect and he can be really frustrating and stubborn but in his imperfect way he has shown me a glimpse of the unconditional love of my other Father.
I believe God's love more because of Dad's love for me.

Dad, this one's for you.
I'm sorry I didn't get a card in the post on time.

"May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand."