The Day For Dad

So it's the third Sunday of June already and time to take a day to honor dear old Dad. Unlike Mother's Day where the history of the holiday is rooted in the theme of peace in the aftermath of the Civil War, this day was created partly by the efforts of Sonora Dodd in 1909. She wanted to honor her father, a Civil War vet who was a widower after the family's sixth child was born. To her, he was a selfless, caring and thoughtful Dad who was left to take care of the family in a rural area of Washington State.

After proclamations by three Presidents, Richard Nixon made it official and permanent in 1972. The specific time of year was picked because that was when Sonora was born. It is a tribute to the Dodd family and to all fathers that help make a difference in their family's lives. Cynics may call it another day for Hallmark to raise their revenues (which is partly true) but there is definitely more to it.

Due to the distance, all I can do today is call my Dad and wish him well, as he lives in L.A. and I'm in New York. Yet we share a special bond that only father and son can have. This Sunday and the last Father's Day have been especially important following his heart attack and open heart surgery that we all went through last April. It can be easy to take Dad for granted but when our mortality makes itself apparent, it is much easier to realize how special the people in our lives are to us. So for everyone and anyone who reads this, have a happy Father's Day.

Oh and one last note. I am also proud to say that my politics closely resemble my own Dad's beliefs. He went to Vietnam War protests in New York and Washington just as I have done in a few cities against our current war. So I want to leave you with a picture my Dad took at one event in New York back in the early 1970s. Does this face look familiar?