Dads....

Father's Day has rolled around again, and for those of us who have had to say final goodbyes to our own fathers, and other fathers dear to us, it can't help but be a day of mixed feelings. Indeed, we are so grateful for all of those dads in the world who are still with us - sharing wisdom, laughs, a knowing look, a gentle reminder, their "lore" of stories that somehow, even after all of these years, we had never heard. And yet, there is the tangible loss of fathers, husbands, and those who have been as close as fathers.

Many times, I hear the term "lost our fathers", and I admit to having used that term myself, but the truth is that, if we had a chance to know our fathers well, we have what my mother has affectionately called "tapes" running in our minds of the things our fathers taught us. And yes, that could be a good thing , or a bad thing. In my case, these have been good, and have shaped the passions in my life. Nothing unusual there.

The picture is a self-portrait of my dad. My niece described it as a picture of a "class act". Yes, that would be correct. Photography was one of his passions back in the day when that art was a different one from the digital one of today. He taught me how to appreciate the art of black and white photography, with the attention to capturing the detail in both the light and the shaded areas, so when I look at this, I not only see the strength, intelligence, and attentiveness in his face, but I also see the play of the backlighting along with the detail in his face - even behind those rather amazing glasses.

So, the "tapes" are playing today, and new tapes are being created, as the marvels of the human mind keep us connected spiritually until we share our stories on heavenly ground. Blessings on all fathers today!