A Father's Day

Today I received just what I wanted on Father's Day, what Victoria reminded me I've always asked for, nothing. But then again, I got everything, which made the nothing even that much more of everything. And what was the "nothing" I got? A most pleasant call from my eldest, Austin, who reminded me that I'm not only his father, but also one of his best friends; a delightful voicemail message from my daughter, Annie (who's sick as a dog - must have caught that nasty thing we have just before she left for Mount Hermon), thanking me for being the best father in the world to her; the sweetest note from Barret which contained words most any father would die to read from their son; a proud note from my wife highlighting nice character traits about my fatherhood that are hard to read and receive, but so soul-felt and genuine; unsolicited kisses from my lovely Willow-tree while swimming in the kiddy pool with her; and a handmade note from Poppy to "my Daddy", with a bar of (also handmade) soap with a plastic giraffe molded inside of it. (O. K., so Poppy broke the rule and got me something, but it didn't cost her anything except love.)

One of my few moments alone today was spent lying in our hammock in the backyard (the first time I've done that this year). Boy was that sweet; lush greenery all around, a nice breeze blowing through the eucalyptus trees, a perfect mid-80's temperature with little humidity, and a momentary doze that was quickly awakened by the words of Poppy beneath me, "Daddy, may I lay with you?" I didn't want to be alone anyway; I was starting to miss my family the moment I crawled into that thing.

A Father's Day of Father's Days,

Tom