Father's Day

First I'd like to wish a Happy Father's Day to all my friend's who are fathers. Hope you get some special time with your rugrats!I've thought a lot about it over the years, those closest to me know that I've struggled in my relationship with my father for most of my life. (He was absent from before I turned 2 to when I was 16. A few token gestures here and there since, but anyway..) So I've been thinking about it a lot more lately, since Father's Day brings it back to the forefront of my mind. There's a huge difference between being a father and being a dad. Anyone can be a father (i.e. sperm donor), but it takes a real man to be a dad. A dad is someone who teaches, protects, and helps raise the children whether through good or bad times. The man that I consider my dad raised me from 6-18, he taught me how to ride my first bike, he helped instill hard work ethic into me, taught me the difference between right and wrong and made my high school boyfriends teach me with dignity and respect. He passed away a few years ago, shocking and suddenly and I still miss him greatly. I never got the chance to tell him how much I appreciated him being there when I was growing up and for being the dad I deserved. When he left, I was still a teenager and like many teens hadn't realized how vital and important my dad was in my life. I hope I get the chance to tell him someday, although I haven't figured out yet what I believe about the afterlife. Happy Father's Day, Jeff. We miss you!