The Honor of being a Father.

I lost my dad seventeen years ago- a week before Christmas.

I have not known anyone who could come close in providing me with the support, love and understanding as much as my Mom and her brothers.

I write this post from the viewpoint of a young woman who grew up without a Father in honor of all the Fathers who are either with or without us today.

​(Copyright: www.dutchtownbaptist.org )

What does it mean to be a Father?

I know not what it means other than to nurture a child into adulthood- to protect, provide, nourish and always guide no matter how many times they fall.

But, is that it?

Is it simply to see your child grow up?

I don't think so. How about, what does it mean to have a Father?

To have a friend, mentor, role model, provider and protector when the whole world seems like a foreign place to you.

To the wonderful, hard-working men who put on a brave face when they are breaking inside because of the struggles they are facing for their sons and daughters and wives- I'd love to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being:

• The first man in your daughter's life because you show her what it means to be loved and cherished in how well you treat and live with your wife.
• The first man and buddy in your son's life because you show him how to live as a man, how to protect and love the women in your life, and how to hang in there when times are tough- he gets to understand what it means to be a man through you.
• The shoulder your wife leans on when she can't stop her tears from streaming down her cheeks. For- loving, protecting, disciplining and providing for the children she bore you, thank you.

You may be reading this and you are young, single and still going through the Y.O.L.O phase- and you're male...well, you may choose to settle down and nurture a family- and when you do so- give it your all, because nothing abounds as the love your children feel for you.
I'd also like to honor my Father- Apollo (yeah- he was as dashing as a god) for marrying my mother- for in doing so, he chose wisely not because she is beautiful- but because she took on his role when he went to be with the Lord, and I am grateful that she loved and nurtured us to where we are now.
I've always had it in mind to have a simple church wedding- and now that I may, I cannot help but miss my Dad because he'd walk me down that aisle and hand me over to my future husband. It seems simple- but there's no greater feeling than holding your father's hand- for you're always his little girl.

A man is strong and wise- so is a woman, but as a Father, my question for you this Father's Day is if you went to be with the Lord today would your wife carry on the torch and raise your kids so well that you'd be proud of her?
If the tables were turned and she went ahead of you...would you love and nurture your children with the same dedication you expect of her?
To all the Fathers: May you be blessed abundantly for your love, support, encouragement, love for football (enjoy the #WorldCup season) and sports, beer and nyama choma and reading newspapers and saying very little as though your word is gold (which at times it is)- and may you love your children and your wives always.
Happy Father's Day this 15th of June!

--

For all that is right, let there be love-peace and understanding.