Today really snuck up on me. Father’s Day is such a wonderful holiday and a day to honor and cherish all the father figures in our lives, but today is also the first day in 50 years that my dad isn’t here with me to celebrate. Since his passing, I’ve struggled to talk or write about him because every time I sit down to type or talk to the kids about their papou, I get choked up. 

Last Father’s Day, I published a tribute to my dad. I’ve read it a time or two, trying to put together words that would somehow top what was written last year for this blog post, but grief and anguish have made this a nearly impossible task. The truth is, I poured my heart into last year’s blog post. On some subconscious level, I think I knew our time together was nearing an end, and thus I tried to spend what time we had left being thoughtful and intentional around showing my love for my dad. 

If you have the time, I would certainly love for you to read last year’s blog post or even this blog so you can get a clearer understanding of the incredible man my father was, but I think the real intention of today’s post is to encourage and remind you never to take your loved ones for granted. You never truly know how long you have left with them. While you can, make sure he knows how big a hero he is in your eyes before it’s too late.

Happy Father’s Day.