Father's Day has been bittersweet to me ever since my Dad passed many years ago... because I still Miss him terribly every day. And so on Father's Day particularly there is that Void nobody else can fill. And I can't even Imagine what Father's Day must be like if someone has never had a Dad Present in their Lives, or a Good Relationship with their Father, because I had an Excellent one who I was Blessed to have in my Life with a Close Relationship until a ripe Old Age.
I try to make Father's Day Special for The Man too because he is an Excellent Dad and Grandfather... and in Truth he's Fathering the G-Kid Force in absence of them being able to Live with and be Raised by their own Dads. Even though this has been their Norm since Birth due to particular Circumstance that makes it the best situation for these two it has often been hard for them. Because they do have Relationship with and Thankfully have Loving Dads that just can't be Present to Raise them. However they do also know they have Siblings that do have the Dads Full Time because they are being Raised by them... and so the separation and dichotomy can still be difficult for these two... and thus, Father's Day can be bittersweet for them also.
I am Thankful that the Young Prince's Dad has always made it a point to be Present in his Son's Life as often as possible and lives Locally so that they could build a Relationship. Even though the Relationship with our Daughter ended before their Child was even born and both Parents were too Young and struggled with significant Life Issues and Health Challenges that made it impossible to Parent him. So many Young Fathers wouldn't have and don't bother if their Baby's Mama is no longer a part of their Lives or they're sorting out their own Life Issues. I Applaud him for Loving his Son so much, in spite of very difficult Circumstances and Choices having to be made from a Place of Love. Giving up a Child for the Child's Sake is no easy Choice after all. It warms my Heart to see him Maturing, getting his Life together and now being able to be Present Full Time for Prince R's Precious little Brother.
I am equally Thankful that Princess T's Dad is an Excellent Father... and rose to the Challenge of Raising her three Younger Sisters as a Single Parent when it became apparent that our Daughter's Mental Health Challenges would ultimately mean that sustaining Relationship with anyone would be too difficult... and Full Time Parenting in particular would simply overwhelm her. Our Son-In-Law is a very Good Man, a hard working and Loving Man with Devotion to Family. He supports an Elderly Mother there in Mexico... continues to financially support and Love our Daughter even though they can no longer be together... and is doing a Fine Job of raising the G-Kid Force's three Precious Younger Siblings as a Single Father in his Home Country. He Loves Princess T with all his Heart and has always treated Prince R like his own Son. Leaving her to be Raised in this Country by us and not be separated from the Family and Home she had always known was also a Choice made from a Place of Love and in her best interest. You see, he could have Raised her and desperately wanted to... but Prince R is not his Child and has Paternal Family here who Love him... and if he couldn't take both, we all felt it best he take none back to Mexico with them, it was the right choice. I Applaud him too for making the best of a very difficult Situation and Loving all the Children and our Daughter so very much.
You see, ours isn't a Sad Story, it's just a very Complicated one that is filled with Love and Adaptation to things that either can't be Changed and things that took Time to Change. And it makes for a bittersweet Father's Day of sorts because of the Missing Parts... those Dads that we all Love Dearly and who Dearly Love us but who cannot be Present as much as we Wish they could be this day in particular. Dads separated from Children by Circumstance, Health Issues and yes, even the Passing from Time into Eternity.
I Hope that this Father's Day, if it is possible for you to be Present with your Dad... that you will spend Precious Time with him and make some New Memories to Cherish. That if you are Estranged from your Dad that you are able to begin a Process of Reconciliation and Healing of Relationship. And if that is not possible, that you are able to Extend Forgiveness for all that never was... and perhaps cannot be... just to Honor him for being your Father. Because he is the Portal that The Lord chose to bring you into this World... and not a one of us is a Mistake, every Baby is a Gift from God. We were Planned by The Heavenly Father and He Loves each and every one of us, so much in fact that He Gave us His Son... in the Purest Expression of Love... because that's what Excellent Fathers do... Loving until it Hurts and is Sacrificial!
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian