first father's day...

I had the privilege this weekend of celebrating my first Father's Day. Though Sunday was spent like any other, there was something special about being recognized for joining the ranks of some of the greatest men I know. This Father's Day was different than those in years past and it has less to do with the fact that I'm now a father myself and more to do with the fact that, as a result, I've gained a new sense of what it means to be a father.

I was fortunate to have grown up with a father at home and two grandfathers close at hand. Granddaddy died two years ago, but Papa's still piddling in his world of tractors and tomatoes. He's the salt of the earth—homespun wisdom and pure goodness. Grandaddy was a rock. As solid, loyal and loving as any man I’ve know. When the wife and I married, I was welcomed into a remarkable family and I include my father-in-law among these great men. I say this despite the fact that, in his youngest daughter's eyes, I'll never quite measure up to the first man she ever loved, but this is often the case with fathers and their daughters, so I don't mind.

Being the fledgling father I am I couldn't say that I stand on equal footing with my own father and the others I've mentioned, but learning from the best should surely count for something. So, looking back at my first Father’s Day, more than anything else, I’m just happy to be here, happy to have joined the club, and happy to be a part of such a grand experiment...