Happy Father's Day

     Let me start by wishing all of you who are fathers or have taken the role of a father, Happy Father's Day.  As much as we adore and honor mothers, real fathers deserve as much credit.  Being a parent has to be the toughest job in the world, being a good parent is even tougher, being a good father is off the charts.  Too long fathers have been primarily known as the "bread winners" and moms are the ones who hold down the fort, raise the kids etc.  Unfortunately, many dads wear all of those hats, and don't get much praise for it.  I've often heard things like "well they are your kids and you're supposed to provide for them", or, you're a man, so I don't expect you to be the love giver in the family" and things like that.  And very rarely do you see media telling the story of single dads who do an outstanding job of being a parent.  Truth be told, many dads do all of those things, and do it with a smile.

     Before, some of you go off the deep end, I'm not taking anything away from mothers, after all without them we wouldn't be here and the job most mothers do are unparallelled.  I'm just saying lets give fathers some love too.  I have two children (now 33 year old daughter and 28 year old son) and you won't find a prouder father in the universe.  I never imagined what it would be like to be a dad and even today I think about the roller coaster ride it has been, but I wouldn't trade a day of it.  Especially now that I have grand kids, I realize how important my role has been.  A true father will be there no matter what.  First bike ride, first boyfriend, graduation. absolutely positively boring dance recitals, truly not so competitive little league sports etc.  There were times I had the worse day at work and was looking forward to getting home, firing up a cigar and just relaxing, but when I walked through the door, it was "dad I have a science project", or "dad I want to do my cheers for you" and I gladly accepted my role and did what was needed.  Actually as I reflect back on some of those times, it makes my cigar or pipe moments even better, because I know I did the best I could and I get to really enjoy my cigars and pipes now.

     What I mean is, if I were not a good father, I would be spending time raising my grand kids (because son or daughter) wouldn't be prepared to raise them.  Or maybe I would be worried about where I went wrong and why my kid was in jail or not doing well in life.  So those cigar and pipe moments are really good now.  My father wasn't always there (military obligations and later divorce), but my grandfathers were and I thank God daily for blessing me with both of them, may they forever rest in peace.  I think that's why my cigar and pipe game is so strong, I watched them reward themselves after a hard day at work and then coming home to make sure the "ship was in shape".  Not before, but after all was calm in the house, they lit up and relaxed until the next shift.  As an adult I didn't have the moments to sit and enjoy a smoke with them as often as I would have liked, but I do believe they are looking down and enjoying those moments with me every time I fire one up. 

     Now I could take the "political correct" route and not talk about their influences on me and one of their habits I picked up, but I won't, I will speak my mind and the truth.  As it is, my dad and grandfathers all warned me of the health risks of smoking,l drinking, chasing wild women etc., but they also prepared me to know, my choices in life are my choices and I have to live with the good and bad of those decisions.  Armed with that knowledge, I think I've done pretty well for myself and my family.  A successful military career, a sound citizen and a pretty good dad.  I think of my son and what kind of lessons he's teaching my 8 year old grandson and 5 year old granddaughter.  Have I prepared him enough to get them to be sound citizens?  I still have a few years to find that out, but from how well they do in school and how people compliment the little ones, I think I prepared my son and daughter well. 

     So on this Father's Day, I honor all of the hardworking, dedicated. loving, strong and caring dads (and those that have taken that role).  Nobody ever said it would be easy, and the the parenting handbook has 2 billion chapters that may apply and may not, but I salute each of you and wish you God's blessings, and sincerely hope you are as proud to be a father as I am.  On this Father's Day when your kids to wish you a good day, reming them how much you love them, and tell them it truly is a "Happy Father's Day" everyday.  Now with that being said, I think its time for a Don "Pepin" Garcia "My Father" cigar.

CLP (Clip, light and puff), long ashes and deep bowls. 


Greg

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