Before they are born, a father prays that his children will grow up to be happy people.
He carries his babies and never lets harm come to them, striving to make them happy, often to no avail as a baby is supposed to cry.
A father prays to God that his babies will always be safe and happy.
A father works long and hard every day to put clothes on his children’s back and food in their belly.
A father will praise his children’s accomplishments and accept their mistakes, not without a tear or two, as his children travel thru those often tumultuous teenage years.
A father will guide his children thru the developing years as they reach forward into life as teenagers.
A father will pray to God that he has shared enough wisdom, morals and instruction for his teenagers to grow up and be happy.
A father will encourage and guide his developing young adult’s passions and dreams as they ponder what the next steps of life will become for them.
A father will support his developing young adults as they bang, scuff and scratch their proverbial knees, elbows and toes of adulthood, often with a tear, but always with a firm, steady hand when requested or needed.
A father will pray that the work he did as the father of a baby, a young child, a teenager and then as a developing adult will have been enough for his teenager to grow up to be happy.
A father will lend an ear, a shoulder even a needed dollar to his grown children, (aka friends).
A father will be involved in his good friend’s (aka children’s) life, caring for them as a good friend (aka father) should.
A father (aka friend) will listening to the stories of become a contributing member of society, professional, a business person, involved in the community and father or mother themselves. He will proudly watch them become all this, only giving guidance when asked.
A father will work, laugh and play with these friends (aka children), as he would with any other good, trusted and loved friend.
A father will smile when others speak of his good friends (aka children), and proudly admit to them, “That is my child!”
A father will always give thanks to God that the work he did as the father of a baby, a young child, a teenager, a developing adult and adult has created a happy person and a good friend.
Happy Fathers Day to me and all of my other father friends!
Teddy Burriss 