Father's Day

Dads are pretty amazing. It was Father’s Day back in America, so Happy Father’s Day to all of you dads and men who step into dad-roles. What you do for your families and for society in general is greatly appreciated. You are the strong fibers in the tapestry of life. Because of you, moms and children are protected and safe. Keep up the warrior-mode.

A couple of weeks ago we were at a live-music venue packed with expats, mostly Brits and Irish. There was one chunky little dude who was the only child there. He was new at walking—you know when they look like drunk sailors. Their heads lean the direction they want to go and their feet follow, hopefully. Dad seemed more on guard than the child’s skills warranted, but then he suddenly bolted for the street and the oncoming car. Dad to the rescue. He leaped after the kid and swooped him up in his arms.

We were at pool with two boys (about 4 and 8) and Dad. He stood off to the side, relaxed. Then the eight-year-old threw the four-year-old in the pool, with the younger fighting to prevent the dunking. Obviously the younger one was no match for big brother’s strength… and the older brother was no match for Dad. The chase was on. After one lap around the enclosed pool (no escape) Dad caught the offender and tossed him in the pool. The younger one watched in awe.

Speaking of being thrown in, a big burly dad had his hands full the other day as three of his little monsters tried to escape his clutches. He alternately threw them in the ocean. They would try ganging up on him and then all three would go in at once. This must’ve gone on for twenty minutes!

One dad came out of the freezing water and laid on top of Mom. One of their kids, a boy about 6 or 7 years old, screamed and flapped his arms in useless defense of his mother. The dad got up and started imitating the boy by racing around in circles flapping his arms and screaming like a girl. It was absolutely priceless.

I’ve lost count of how many children ride on Dad’s shoulders. Seriously! Probably one out of ten kids are on Dad’s shoulders, oftentimes pushing a stroller while walking alongside a tired mom.

Speaking of Mom; the other day a little one was having a complete meltdown. Mom tried to control the tantrum, and probably would’ve succeeded after a few scratches and bruises, but Dad snatched the flailing child from Mom’s arms and walked away firmly holding the little animal.

There’re lots of dogs here. A lot. It’s interesting to watch the dad’s always making sure they are between their child and the dog, especially the bigger dogs. Even when the dog-owner assures the dad that it’s okay, he still stays between his child and the possible threat.

Sandcastle building is the usual activity on the beach. Dads all have their own way to participate. The engineers have all the equipment and have a blueprint in their minds. Others just make sure the little ones are well supplied with buckets of water. There’s always the dad who lays patiently while his children bury him in sand. Then there are the sprinters. There’s always a toddler who runs right into the waves with its shovel. Dad dashes in after the kid.

Of course there is always the sports dad. This takes every form imaginable, though it usually involves a soccer-ball. Balls are everywhere. The young dad is playing for blood. The kid works so hard to compete. The older dad makes sure the kid can score. Then there was the tired dad who sat on the low wall and had his child kick the ball to him. This morning I watched a dad teaching his toddler the fundamentals of volleyball.

I just moved because a guy started doing construction on a balcony above me. Little chunks of stucco started raining down on me. I moved under an umbrella while a Portuguese lady gave him a piece of her mind. Right after I got settled a big chunk slid off the umbrella and landed in my hair. I decided to make a retreat indoors. As I set my laptop down inside I noted bird poop on my blouse! Of course I had to clean it immediately. So, finally here I sit with a wet blouse and dust in my hair.

We received a flurry of texts and pictures from friends from our neighborhood. The first came from the girl housesitting for us. A huge tree-branch had broken off and landed on our lawn and hedge. It was too big for her to manage on her own, so we called one of our kids, Josh, to come to the rescue. He drove up from Oakland on his first day off and cut it all the way off and cleaned it all up.

Being a dad-role-model pays off! We have five kids I didn’t have to give birth to. It was sweet getting text messages from them on Father’s Day. We even got a video message from our Guatemalan daughter, Karina.

This is our first experience with a family tragedy back home. It was surreal to experience it from so far away. Joe’s brother passed away last week. One day he was riding his bike, a couple of days later he was on life support. It honestly was not a shock, but it was. I think all our family and friend’s prayers for peace were answered. We have remained calm and at peace. He left behind two sons, a lovely daughter-in-law, and a vivacious, sweet granddaughter. He will be missed.