This is paraphrased from a post on Beyond Teshuva that ran exactly a year ago today.
Most of my kid’s know this song:
Today is Father’s/Mother’s Day but it’s no special day ’cause I love you Daddy/Mommy all the time.
You are so dear to me, the best you’ll always be, I thank Hashem he made you mine.
Cute. But I’m a bit torn by the lyrics. On the one hand, it’s true that we don’t need an invented holiday to show our appreciation to our parents. On the other hand, how many of us actually take the time out to call our parents and say thanks? If you do, then you don’t need Father’s/Mother’s Day. If you don’t, pick up the phone and say thanks!
A little more than seven years ago, I lost my Father. A friend of mine who had also lost his father fairly young told me that the first Father’s Day after my Dad’s passing would be tough. When that Father’s Day rolled around, my wife went into labor and gave me the best Father’s Day present, my daughter Atara. Yesterday morning, I had completely forgotten that it was Father’s Day. When I returned from Shul, Atara was coming down the steps to give me her usual cheerful greeting. She was holding a birthday card that she had received from her Day Camp. I asked “Is that my almost Birthday Girl?” She immediately responded “Is that my Happy Father’s Day Boy?” Happy Seventh B-Day Attie, you are still (and always will be) the Best Father’s Day Gift Ever!
