The eulogy for my father: It’s easy to praise famous men
by Lex Woodbury Knowing he was in his last days, my Dad – who never once acknowledged anything good about me on his own, given that I was failure in fulfilling his fantasy of corporate success – hobbled across the living room and told me, “Son, you’re a writer. I want you to write my eulogy.” I agreed, partly because as the eldest son, his eulogy was my job, partly because I felt suddenly flattered and affirmed,...
Wisdom of the ages: From elderly to elder – A guide for fathers and sons
by Ken Plattner Fathers have sons, then sons have sons. It’s been going on for a long time, and that’s the way of it. The gracious and wise father has proudly held his children, rooted for them in school and sports, disciplined them with the courage to say “no,” encouraged their dreams, and emancipated them into mature adulthood. With good fortune, you were launched into the world by a wise father who was...
No paisley tie for me: What if you are not a father on Father’s Day?
by Edmond Manning I’m not getting a Father’s Day card from my kids this year. No necktie to go with the shirt they gave me at Christmas. No new TV remote. No weeding tools for the back yard. Why not? I’m not a father. As self-pitying as that sounds, I am mostly okay with the decision I have made to not become a biological father. And while marrying into a family with kids might still work for me, that option seems...
‘New Warrior’ men make good fathers
by Steve Norcross Once again, the third Sunday in June is Father’s Day. Greeting card publishers, clothing manufacturers, distilleries, and long-distance phone operators are hoping to realize a profit from the once-a-year obligation many feel to honor their dads. I hope my own kids, at least, call and wish me well, tell me that they love me. I’m put in mind, this time of year, to recall and honor my fathers and...
Raising children with emotional intelligence
by Harvey Deutschendorf Raising children with a healthy degree of self regard is critical. I was raised in a family where there was a steady diet of anger, shaming and put downs, coming from both my father and brother. I’ve since passed through many years of struggle to learn what it takes to have positive self regard. Since I never gained it from my family, I had to find a way to give it to myself. Let me share with you two...
The gift: A father’s tale in two parts
by Steven Lee Mankle With Father’s Day upon us, I want to speak about fatherhood in two voices. One voice is the subjective observer. The other voice tells a personal story. In this endeavor, I am deeply prompted to seek clarity within, and perhaps there will be some small nugget for you to mine as well. The Gift of Human Birth A Buddhist precept asks us to be mindful of how rare it is to find ourselves in human form on Earth....
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