Father's Day in a pandemic

It's Father's Day soon, and being blessed with a pandemic infused plethora of time, I have invested in some pondering what that day means to me, now that I have reached this particular stage in life. Gone are the gifts of ties, mugs, crafts and treats; Hello to texts, phone calls and FB posts. That's not a complaint in any way, shape or form ... quite the opposite, actually. 

According to History.com, "The nation’s first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington. However, it was not until 1972, 58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official–that the day honouring fathers became a nationwide holiday in the United States. Father’s Day 2020 occurs on Sunday, June 21." Click here

I have 3 fantastic moments in my life ... I have thousands of great moments, but I only have 3 fantastic ones. They are all tied to being a father.

It's a three-way tie starting with August 17, 1991, the day I married my "best-est" friend and apple of my eye, my wife Joyce, but the other two would be November 1993 and February 1996 because those were the months that my children were born. The rest of my life's moments have been great and I truly have only minor regrets, but all of it pales in comparison with those 3 times. Without them, there would be no Father in Father's Day, for me. 

Being a father is tough work! Reflecting deeply, from my personal perspective, the job's not quite at the same toughness level as being a mother, but it's close. As Bill Cosby once said, "I'm not the boss of my house. I don't think I ever was. But I've seen the boss' job and I don't want it!" I have tried to be as good a father as I was capable of but you'll have to ask my children for the final assessment. I will tell you that I am damn proud of the adults that my children have become, albeit vastly different, and I have great faith that their mother and I have prepared them to handle the "Trials of Life" the best that we could.

My daughter Maddison runs a Sports Medicine clinic, one of the satellite clinics for Barrie Sports Medicine. She has inherited some of my Type A-ness and, IMHO, is very good at her job, a fact that is echoed by her co-workers. She possesses great people skills, is highly intelligent, is self-motivated, and possesses empathy off the chart. She graduated from Waterloo in KIN with a mid 80's average, not a feat to be scoffed at. Although she has gifted her incredible friendship abilities to many over the years, she saves the most sincere and passionate version for her fiancee Chris (a Waterloo Engineering alum), and we couldn't be happier for both of them. Just like her own mother, she will be an amazing parent when that happens because there are limitless boundaries on her ability to love. 

My son Keaton is a mechanic. He has always gravitated towards activities that were physical in nature, deriving great comfort from being able to "get his hands dirty". He plied that passion into a stellar athletic career, his penultimate accomplishment being selected to represent our country as a member of the U20 National Rugby Team. He also decided early on in high school that, although equally intelligent as his sister, he would follow the apprenticeship pathway and it's academically simpler course load. This meant that he could take a schedule heavy with "hands on" courses, a decision I know that he has never regretted. Like Maddi, he possesses great people skills and is self-motivated, but he is quite fine spending time with his own company. He is a quick learner, a skill that has allowed him to endear himself to his employers, as well as his co-workers.

I couldn't be prouder of being their father and, if I do say so myself, my wife and I deserve a hearty pat on the back for our accomplishments. This will be my first Father's Day as a retired guy but I won't be waiting around for the day to arrive. I've already taken stock of my little corner of Life and I'm pretty pleased with what I see. Maddi and KP, I love you both very, very much!

It really shouldn't come as a surprise. I had a great role model in my own father. 

Happy Father's Day to my dad, Terry "Doc" Porter. 

There isn't a day that passes where I don't miss having you around to see where my family has ended up. 

I miss the ability to have your guidance as life throws me its curveballs. 

I feel badly that you have missed watching your grandkids grow into amazing adults.

I hope that you are in a great place ... you deserve it after dedicating your life to everyone else's health.

I love you.