What makes a Father, a Father?

Today as I regroup and recount the wonderful day we had on this Father's Day of 2009 I continually count my blessings each and every day for the wonderful man I married and the father of our children.

This thought has been running through my mind for a couple of weeks now leading up to Father's Day, as to what makes someone a father? Is it just the ability to recreate life or ones ability to provide for that child financially?

We all know a lot of fathers out there but only a few that I would consider actual fathers to their children. By that I mean an individual that gives of themselves unselfishly in time, patience and attention. Yes, a child needs the necessities; such as food, shelter and clothing to survive but to thrive and grow to be great individuals you need to invest some meaningful time with them.

We don't always get in the "quality time" and question a lot about whether we're raising our boys "right" or not. Does anyone really know though? All we can do is give them a solid foundation filled with love to start; which includes morals, standards and beliefs that we hold true ourselves.

However, my husband is one of those few who makes a conscious effort to read them bedtime stories, take them to the latest kids movie, help them with their math problems or just simply comfort when one has a nightmare late at night.

I'm sad sometimes for the few I know whose father isn't around as much or spends very little time with them; but should I really feel sad? They appear to be okay on the exterior. I don't know what's going on on the inside though... One can assume that they're perfectly happy with the situation and don't feel anything is missing from their lives.

Perhaps we're compensating for something we didn't have when we were both growing up. Our dads were always at work and didn't really show a great deal of interest in what was going on in our lives or what we were doing. I think that type of behavior was very generational. Men just were not that involved in their childrens' lives. I would like to think we turned out okay but could we have been more if some more interest and attention was shown?

I love my Dad and Kurt surely loved his father when he was still with us. What we now see as lacking may have been okay after all. Is more really more?...

Thank you Kurt for all that you give of yourself and I love you forever...!

Hope you all had a great Father's Day!