A Day Late
I went to buy my dad a Father's Day card this week, and for whatever reason every card I opened was about flatulation. Seriously, they were all said something like "I hope your Father's Day smells good" or "Pull my finger" or "Fart this" or "Poot that." Why is Father's Day associated with gas and flatulation? When I think about my dad I don't think, "wow that farting machine." Side note - I completely dislike the word fart. I wasn't allowed to say that word growing up, I guess that is why I dislike it.
If you think about it, what a disservice it is to the idea of Father's Day, to associate it with flatulence. Especially to those people whose Father is not with them this day. In fact I am very aware of many people who will spend this Father's Day without their father for the first time, or for the fiftieth time. I cannot imagine, and I do pray for you this day.
I finally found that card that fit my relationship with my father, well part of it. The front said "Dad, can I get you a drink? Can I fluff your pillow? Can I find you the remote?" The inside said "Can I borrow ten dollars?" I was laughing out loud. I can remember when I was in elementary school he took me to school every morning. And every day I would ask him if I could have two dollars for break and lunch. And every day I would have to explain every little thing that I was going to spend that entire two dollars on. Then one day the school went up on their prices, and I had to start asking for $2.50...it took me a while to explain this price increase. Every morning he would tell me how he could get his entire recess for a dime. I personally think he was exaggerating, but who knows.
One day he decided that I needed to start showing cows, to "earn some extra money, and some responsibility." So he went out in the herd and picked out two steers to break and then we would pick one to show. Well, one was named Rudy, and I can't remember the other one's name. Anyway, while he was trying to "break" Rudy, in order to lead him on a lead line rope, the cow drug him around the pen. Dad wouldn't let go, otherwise the cow would have one. The next week, we were eating Rudy, my parent's friends were really upset when I told them Rudy made the best tacos! The lesson I learned was that cows are not supposed to be lead around by a rope.
My dad has also taught me to love dollar stores. It doesn't really matter which one, well, I do have a couple of favorites, but I love dollar stores. Family Dollar, Dollar General, the Dollar Tree, you can find a lot of bargains in those stores. I go and just walk around when I am stressed. Last week I spent an hour in the Dollar Tree, and some how I came home with more things for my kitten than myself?
I think the greatest thing my dad taught me was to not be judgmental of others. Now I will be the very first to tell you that I do not always adhere to this, but deep in my soul I know I am wrong when I am being judgmental. But he was always hiring people to work on the farm that no one else would give a chance. As a young child it frightened me. Especially the time he informed me that one of the guys had been to prison for killing a man. I flipped, and he said "Katie, it was self defense and he is a good worker and a good guy." He gave him a chance, that is all the guy needed. And the truth was he was a good guy and a good worker.
I guess what I am trying to say is, I should have gone to work for the greeting card company. Instead of teasing dad's about gas, which we all have on occasion, maybe they should have cards that say Dad thanks for: punishing me when I was bad, never allowing me to quit and take the easy road out, making me feel better when mom was mad with me, making me feel better anytime, teaching me the value of a dollar, teaching me to respect others and to always help others in need, always laugh at myself, and _________________....... Happy Father's Day.
If you think about it, what a disservice it is to the idea of Father's Day, to associate it with flatulence. Especially to those people whose Father is not with them this day. In fact I am very aware of many people who will spend this Father's Day without their father for the first time, or for the fiftieth time. I cannot imagine, and I do pray for you this day.
I finally found that card that fit my relationship with my father, well part of it. The front said "Dad, can I get you a drink? Can I fluff your pillow? Can I find you the remote?" The inside said "Can I borrow ten dollars?" I was laughing out loud. I can remember when I was in elementary school he took me to school every morning. And every day I would ask him if I could have two dollars for break and lunch. And every day I would have to explain every little thing that I was going to spend that entire two dollars on. Then one day the school went up on their prices, and I had to start asking for $2.50...it took me a while to explain this price increase. Every morning he would tell me how he could get his entire recess for a dime. I personally think he was exaggerating, but who knows.
One day he decided that I needed to start showing cows, to "earn some extra money, and some responsibility." So he went out in the herd and picked out two steers to break and then we would pick one to show. Well, one was named Rudy, and I can't remember the other one's name. Anyway, while he was trying to "break" Rudy, in order to lead him on a lead line rope, the cow drug him around the pen. Dad wouldn't let go, otherwise the cow would have one. The next week, we were eating Rudy, my parent's friends were really upset when I told them Rudy made the best tacos! The lesson I learned was that cows are not supposed to be lead around by a rope.
My dad has also taught me to love dollar stores. It doesn't really matter which one, well, I do have a couple of favorites, but I love dollar stores. Family Dollar, Dollar General, the Dollar Tree, you can find a lot of bargains in those stores. I go and just walk around when I am stressed. Last week I spent an hour in the Dollar Tree, and some how I came home with more things for my kitten than myself?
I think the greatest thing my dad taught me was to not be judgmental of others. Now I will be the very first to tell you that I do not always adhere to this, but deep in my soul I know I am wrong when I am being judgmental. But he was always hiring people to work on the farm that no one else would give a chance. As a young child it frightened me. Especially the time he informed me that one of the guys had been to prison for killing a man. I flipped, and he said "Katie, it was self defense and he is a good worker and a good guy." He gave him a chance, that is all the guy needed. And the truth was he was a good guy and a good worker.
I guess what I am trying to say is, I should have gone to work for the greeting card company. Instead of teasing dad's about gas, which we all have on occasion, maybe they should have cards that say Dad thanks for: punishing me when I was bad, never allowing me to quit and take the easy road out, making me feel better when mom was mad with me, making me feel better anytime, teaching me the value of a dollar, teaching me to respect others and to always help others in need, always laugh at myself, and _________________....... Happy Father's Day.
Comments