A Father's Day Story

The weekend spent together was glorious. Our 4 children and their families gathered at our lake house near Eaton, Ohio to celebrate Father’s Day. Friday and Saturday were spent in hard summer play; swimming, boating, and building sand castles. Father’s Day morning we all awoke grateful for our time together. The goal for this day was for all the families to return home and allow the dads to craft a day in whatever way they wished. Being a dad, especially to little ones, is a never ending task. There’s always another ball to throw, bedtime routine to offer, or another “talk” to have after finding out the truth could be found  somewhere between “I didn’t do it” and the evidence hidden behind the couch. I love to observe the young dads in my family and how their young children benefit from the vast umbrella of their love. So, the idea that these busy dads would have a say in their day made me happy.

And then the expectation of this particular Father’s Day went flat. Literally. There’s nothing like having the car packed, the snacks ready, and the kids lined up to be buckled in when you discover one of your tires looks as flat as a pancake smooshed into the gravel driveway. You know what they say about the best laid plans….

Next thing you know, there are three young Dads showing up to change the tire. One dad has the car manual, one dad is jacking up the car, and the other dad unbolting the spare. Meanwhile, their collective young children are either crying to be picked up or lamenting because they’re thirsty. Yet, after just a few minutes of calming the crisis, the little ones ended up sitting on the stoop watching, cheering and yes, counting rocks. The ensemble of big life was whittled down to the moment all for the purpose of changing a tire. I mean, there’s nothing that says Father’s Day better than problem solving minds and a good set of greased up hands fixing life.

As I observed the Dad-centered teamwork, I was touched by the “whole picture.”  Here are these brow sweating, lying-in-the-gravel, problem solving men taking care of a tire; but in reality, it was much more than that. Their example of how to deal with the unexpected challenge with focus and determination while noting the unmet superficial needs of their kids provided a calm reassurance. I had to chuckle to myself as one dad literally had the entire weight of a car resting on a cranking metal bar while telling his son, “I just can’t swim with you right now, buddy.” The whole situation, for me, embodied some of the best qualities of fatherhood.

For my young dad crew, yes, the tire was changed and the grease was washed away. In the meantime, however, it was lunchtime for some and naptime for others; and the day’s schedule was altered to accommodate. I know all too well that as time goes on, there will be ordinary days that will be hijacked by much more than a flat tire. Chances are there might be many times there’s no manual in the glove compartment available in how to navigate the challenge at hand. I was grateful the flat tire was replace with an air tight spare and all eventually was well.

Days like today are like a deposit in the trust bank. These dads modeled simultaneous strength, understanding, and problem solving for their kids. And they exemplified the power of teamwork.

I appreciated all Dads today. Even those of you fumbling in the glove compartment of life to figure out a way to mend what is currently flat, know there are many of us celebrating your ways of loving and simply figuring it out.