family | wordsfromanneli

One day a year we remember to honour our fathers. You may say, “My dad died years ago. I can forget about Father’s Day.” But don’t we owe it to our fathers to think of them for one day out of 365, even if they are no longer with us?

I understand that there are many unfortunate people out there who had a father that was less than ideal, but if we think hard, there is probably something in all our growing up years that is a good memory of him.

The bottom line is, without them, we would not be here.

Just in time for Father’s Day, my Oriental poppies opened up …

as well as one of my favourite irises …

to keep the old standard blue irises company.

Father, so proud of his children each day,

He will protect them in every way.

Sometimes he seems to be quite out of touch,

With things important, that matter so much.

Wait a few years and revisit the scene,

Often we see just how wrong we have been.

Fathers have been there and made those mistakes

That now his child out of stubbornness makes.

Sometimes old fashioned, and sometimes too stern,

Still he’s insistent that his child must learn,

Grow up with values so decent and right,

Though foolish children put up such a fight.

No, it’s not easy to parent a child,

Easier being too meek and too mild,

But it’s the strict laws that Father lays down

That make us thankful with smiles, not a frown.

If your dad’s with you, give thanks for his love,

Think how he kept your hand warm in his glove,

Caring, admiring, so proud of his child,

Little he knew just how much you ran wild.

Love unconditional, that’s what he gave,

In any danger, your life he would save,

Think of him kindly, and don’t criticize,

You did no wrong in his sweet, doting eyes.

It seems to be snowier this year, but only in dribs and drabs. It snows, and the next day it rains and the snow is gone. But the wind is bitter cold and the air is raw. I hope all the little birds and squirrels find warm places to spend the night. I know they’re out and about even in terrible weather, looking for bits of food to keep them warm enough. Even the hummingbirds that didn’t fly south are sipping at the cold sugar water in the feeder. Poor little things.

I hope you are all helping to keep the birds alive this winter by putting out suet or bird seed. Please don’t feed them bread. It’s not going to do them any good. They need proper bird seed and sunflower seeds. And if you have a cat, be sure not to put the feeder where a cat could get to it. On second thought, if you have a cat, don’t feed the birds. Let your neighbour do it.

I hope you all have a happy time over the Christmas holidays. Be good to your friends, neighbours, and families. There is probably not enough of that kindness in the world.

With so much Covid fear, it seems that we are losing the closeness we had with friends and family. Everyone is afraid of this monster illness. But maybe we need to work harder at keeping up our friendships by writing, or phoning, or having more over-the-fence visits, until we get a handle on this virus.

Let us try not to forget that humans are meant to hug, and smile without masks, and love each other. I worry about the toddlers who are not learning to read their parents’ facial expressions as they grow up. Somehow, someday, we need to get back to the way things were.

Have a healthy and happy Christmas time. I wish you all the best for 2022.

PS. I noticed I said, “I hope” several times in this post. I was going to change it, but then I thought, “No, I DO hope a lot.”

I hope you have a lot of hope too.