Only a Dad

Only a dad, with a tired face,

Coming home from the daily race,

Bringing little of gold or fame,

To show how well he has played the game,

But glad in his heart that his own rejoice

To see him come, and to hear his voice.

 

Only a dad, with a brood of four,

One of ten million men or more.

Plodding along in the daily strife,

Bearing the whips and the scorns of life,

With never a whimper of pain or hate,

For the sake of those who at home await.

 

Only a dad, neither rich nor proud,

Merely one of the surging crowd

Toiling, striving from day to day,

Facing whatever may come his way,

Silent, whenever the harsh condemn,

And bearing it all for the love of them.

 

Only a dad, but he gives his all

To smooth the way for his children small,

Doing, with courage stern and grim,

The deeds that his father did for him.

This is the line that for him I pen,

Only a dad, but the best of men.

 

Edgar Albert Guest

 

Despite the lack of respect many fathers receive from our modern culture, Fathers are, in some ways, more important to the development of a strong and resilient generation than mothers (link here). They also bear the incredible responsibility of modeling a child’s view of another Father, our Father in Heaven. If our father is kind and patient, we know that our Heavenly Father must be as well.  If our father is harsh and unforgiving, we may begin to believe God is also thus. If our father is absent, we may doubt the existence of any loving Father to protect us. George MacDonald said, “Words have an awesome impact. The impression made by a father’s voice can set in motion an entire trend of life.”  The words of a father, the way he conducts his life, the way treats their mother, will frame his children’s lives, and through him the future of the world.  Thank you to all the fathers who often unnoticed and unappreciated, sacrifice themselves for their families.

“Father!—To God Himself we cannot give a holier name.” –William Wordsworth