In June, we celebrate Father’s Day. Not a bad idea for the most part. Just about any man can become a biological father. However, true fatherhood is far more than the result of a biological process.

In my opinion, there are several levels of achievement within the framework of fatherhood. There are fathers who do most of the right things. They earn a living and pay the bills. Others rise to yet another level. They actually spend a little time with their children and even go on a yearly vacation.

Daddyhood is the highest possible level. Let me describe my version of a “daddy”. A daddy is a man who is able to earn and maintain the respect of his family while retaining his ability to laugh with them, get on the floor and play with them, hug them, and encourage them in all their pursuits. A daddy is the kind of guy whose lap attracts his children. He’s a man who brings a sense of expectancy into their lives just by coming home from work at night. I’d like to nominate someone for Daddyhood.

A few months ago, our son, Tim, called and invited me to join him for a late- night fishing expedition. Well, not just join HIM. Fourteen year old Stephen came. So did twelve year old Ben. Ten year old Rachael filled out the group. In order to keep the pre-fishing uproar to a minimum, the kids weren’t told I was going to be there until they drove up.

Let me describe the scene for you. I arrived a few minutes early at the North Siesta Key bridge. I flang my body down on a park bench and began to absorb my surroundings. It was a mild Spring evening and a gentle breeze was blowing. A full moon was levitating just above the horizon. It was an incredibly beautiful sight. As I stared into the heavens, a shooting star streaked across the sky.

I saw Tim’s truck come across the bridge and watched it pull into the parking area. As the children noticed Tonka, they yelled out, “Hey, what’s Papa doing here?” We hugged and greeted and got ready to fish. It was such a delightful experience.

As you may know, keeping five fishing lines separated while five people are sitting in close proximity to each other, is a tremendous challenge. We all did a pretty good job. Well, we did tangle a few times, but even that was a fun experience. Everybody baited his/her own hook. Well, almost everybody…almost all the time!

When Tim and I fish, it’s for fellowship, not for fish! If we catch fish, that means cleaning them and cooking them. Fellowship pretty much describes that particular night. The fish we caught ended up in the beak of a Great Blue Heron named “Henry”. To our grandchildren, every heron is named Henry. No confusion that way!

Ben, Stephen and Rachael don’t feel “bites” or “hits” or “tugs” on their line when the fish show interest. They feel “nuggins”. As far as we know, they invented that word. I like it a lot because it rhymes with “huggin”.

I’ve enjoyed watching Tim develop as a father/daddy. Tim works long hours managing his lawn maintenance/tree trimming business. He (with Debbie, of course) has built a successful business. Yet, he finds time to actively take part in all facets of his three children’s lives. He coaches their Christian Little League baseball team. He is always there when they perform in music contests and recitals. He’s willing to forego a desperately needed nap in order to hit the consignment shops looking for rare treasures amongst other people’s “trash”.

They go to Myakka Park (the largest State park in Florida), the Castle Park, the Horsey Park, various pet stores, all the malls…just about anywhere kids love to go. I’m frequently invited to go along. It’s such a magnificent experience to tag along with all of them. It helps me kinda re-experience and re-live my own “daddy” days. As I watch our grandchildren roaming from store to store, checking out the trading card displays, looking at the dinosaur bones, comparing the prices on tennis shoes — I slip back in time and remember similar experiences with our three kids.

Fathers come in all shapes and sizes. Fathers come and go. Daddys hang in there, through thick and thin. Daddys respect their marriage vows and commit to the long haul. Yep, there are a lot of fathers in this world. Unfortunately, there are far fewer “daddys”. Happy Daddy’s Day, Tim!

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