Happy Father’s Day to all you Dad’s out there! All the stress of raising kids: I wonder if I made the right decisions? I wonder if I was too strict, or not strict enough? Did I teach my kids something good that they will remember for a long time, or even forever? Do my kids know how much I love them? How many times I look back and wonder how I could have done something different. No manual came with this job. The majority of the time I was flying by the seat of my pants. I had a family to support, a career to juggle, and so many other stresses involved with this I would not even know where to begin. Hopefully, I did not make any major screw-ups. Every parent wants their kids to know you love them, and care about them, but you also had to be disciplined as well. How were they going to learn the right way? Out of all of the things I have accomplished in my life, I think the biggest thing I want to be remembered for the most is being a “Dad”. Many guys can be a Father, but not everybody can be a Dad. And still yet, many of you guys out there have been unable to have kids of their own, but that does not mean they are not “like a Dad” to someone else!
Last month Nick graduated from college, and my three kids were back together. Boy, was that great! I often times find myself looking back at pictures from the past and can remember exactly what things were like at that moment again. Memories you have forever! There may come a time with age that my memory won’t be as good as it once was, but hopefully I will never forget all the good times we had together. We are a family!
Sarah and I have a lot of time, effort, money…and love invested in them. We both want them all to be successful, and to eventually have their own families. I told them often I want to see how they do with their kids! But then I will get to be a Grandpa then too! More memories. We always keep active yet, and go to races together, as you have seen many times on previous blog posts by me. Running has been so important to me, and hopefully to them as well.
My daughter Megan gave me this shirt last year, so I wore it to our Run Club on Father’s Day today. “I’m a Runner Dad. Just like a normal Dad, except much cooler!” Yay! Hopefully this will always be the case! Megan sent me this picture in the mail that came this week:
One thing will always be true: I love being a Dad, and I love my kids! I may not continue to tell them enough, but I am proud of all of them, and the adults they have become. I will always be their Dad. I will always worry about them! I will always love them! Happy Father’s Day to all you Dad’s out there! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of new streak: 77
