Happy Father's Day

I'm very grateful for everything my Dad has done for me. He's at once my biggest rival and my closest friend. Here's Dad on parenting (somewhat paraphrased):

"I wish babies came with a manual. While I was raising you, I never had any idea how things would turn out. I never knew if what I was doing was right or wrong. The day you were born was the scariest day of my life."

Like most sons, though, I can't imagine how Dad could have done a better job. While in my youth we didn't talk nearly as much as we do today (it's hard to have a meaningful conversation when there's a huge intellectual and experiential gulf between two people), he always guided me on how to treat people through his actions. He loves Mom, he earns an honest living, and he cares about the world and the people around him. By any standard, he is a great man and an exceptional Dad.

This holiday, like Mother's Day, is another relatively recent creation. And while some may not like the rampant commercialization ("Dads and Grads"), I firmly believe that a good father is an essential role model for both sons and daughters. So, spending one day a year to salute fathers seems appropriate.