What makes for a good father? Because I’ve been blessed with having one who did not disappoint, I can shed some light on the subject.
A Few Key Points
He’s a man you can count on to pay attention to your smallest concern.
He’s a man who’ll inspire you and leave you with warm fuzzy memories of your times together.
He’s a man who’s not afraid to show his vulnerable side, leaving you with the knowledge that it’s not weakness to show that sometimes life is just too tough and it’s okay to cry and not know the answer to some of life’s big questions.
He’s also a provider, one who cares about his wife and family, their comfort, their well being.
Memories
When I think of my father, Peter Klewchuk, who died on September 11th, 1985, I still tear up even though it’s now over 30 years ago since he passed away. I remember what we did together.
He taught me how to throw a ball, practising endlessly with me when I was preparing for field day in junior high. 
Though there were few books in our home, he taught me to love the written word (and therefore writing) through our visits to the library and his recitation of poems he’d memorized in school, like Kipling’s If, and Wordsworth’s I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud. He taught me to ride a bike, swim, and drive a car. We used to dive for stones in Lake Manitoba, each of us taking turns throwing stones in the water for the other to find. What I most loved about my dad was that he took time to revel in the majesty of nature. He pointed out the birds and the new growth on the balsam tree at the cottage we had later on the shores of Lake Winnipeg.
Respect For Others
He also taught me respect for others. I never heard him raise his voice, though I know he had many moments of frustration. He grew up with parents who fought openly and he often had to intervene. He didn’t want to repeat that pattern of ugly conflict so when he got upset about anything, he chose to remove himself by going to the garage to tinker with his car. Later, I would hear him and my mother talk through whatever bothered him.
Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother
And though his father had treated him badly during his childhood and early adult life, he never complained about it. He wasn’t a man who dwelled on any misfortune that had fallen upon him and there were many. He still treated his father well in his senior years, believing in the commandment, Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother.
Dad’s gone, but I’m so lucky to have such wonderful memories. My mother was a wonderful woman, too, but it was Dad who gave me time and attention and understood what I needed. And for that, I’ll be eternally grateful.
Happy Father’s Day to all the wonderful dads out there.
That’s a lovely remembrance of your father, Diana. Thanks for sharing it.
Thank you, Jo-Anne. At least I have that. 🙂
What a beautiful tribute to your father, Diana. Love the photo as well. Happy Father’s Day to all.
Thank you. He was one special guy. 🙂
You were certainly blessed to have such a father. A wonderful tribute to him!
Yes, Jo, I was certainly blessed. I found it so inspiring that my father could do an 180 as a parent, and not follow in his father’s footsteps. He was a very talented man, who unfortunately didn’t have the kind of dad or mom that supported what he had to offer. That’s another story I hope to tell one day.