Father's Day Wishes

Originally Posted in Common Threads Blog,
Centre Daily Times, June 13, 2007

During the first 21 years of my life that I lived in India, I celebrated Teachers' Day in September and Children’s Day in November. After coming here, I became familiar with the many different days designated to honor fathers, mothers, grandparents, spouses/significant others and other groups of people.

Initially I considered these days just a ploy to increase business and sales – but later, I began to value the specific days set aside to celebrate the special people in our life, especially in a non materialistic way.

Fathers for example. For many of us, they were among the first people to make us feel that we matter. Perhaps by soothing us when we cried, carrying us around, rocking us to sleep, changing diapers and doing so much more.

And among the many fathers who never got around to doing these specific tasks, there are still those who have our interests at heart. Who by their daily efforts, have tried to keep us clothed, fed and sheltered - fostered our education, and nurtured our talents. Some providing us basic necessities, and others showering us with luxuries.

Some of us do not have fathers in our lives, but we hopefully have father figures who have made us feel that we matter and that we are not alone.

On Father’s Day, we honor all of them for creating our personal stories and memories, our sense of self and security. For showing up each time and making a difference. Leaving us thankful that our life, with its countless inane details still matters deeply to them.

In my home, my daughter is getting ready to honor two people this Father’s Day - her father and her grandfather, who is visiting from India.

As she is looking for ways to do that, I think about how each of us is just “somebody’s child.” Perhaps with a mother, father and a family that cares about us.

Perhaps with a family that we care about. Wouldn’t thinking of each other as somebody’s child help us find the common thread that humanizes us all?

Perhaps it could end conflicts, and help us at least wish each other well…

On this Father’s Day, I hope that all of us, this collection of somebody’s children, get to enjoy peace and contentment, and to create some happy new memories for ourselves and others.