Hey diy Ass-kicker!
Today is Father’s Day.
This day becomes even more special to me each year that I still have my Dad. He is 91 years old. Every year he is still on this earth with us is a blessing that I am very grateful for.
I hope your feelings for your Dad are similar to mine, although some of us have had different kinds of relationships with their fathers that result in a negative connection and sometimes even trauma. Maybe your dad wasn’t the kind of dad you would have wanted. Maybe your dad has already left this world for the next. Or maybe, like me, you and your dad had your moments of uncertainty and negativity but have moved past it.
Whatever your history is with your father, it’s likely that your connection will want to tell you how to think about or act toward him today.
But that’s taking the outside and using it to determine our behavior. And we know that shit just doesn’t work. It leaves us totally at the mercy of whatever is going on with other people and the crap going on around us. Powerless.
Go from the inside out. Decide what is important to you in relationships and use that to choose how to behave. Showing immense love and care for my aging Dad is very important to me. Letting him know how he has helped shape my life with his lessons is important to me. Showing him my gratitude for the time we have left together is important to me.
You don’t have to react. You get to respond. Respond in ways that feel good to you, with love and boundaries. Not just with your dad, but with anyone.
My Father’s Day wish for you is that no matter where your dad is, or what you feel about him right now, you walk through this day with your head held high and a huge bunch of warmth in your heart.