I was thinking about my father this past week. He has been gone for awhile now and I often wonder what our relationship would have been like if he were with us today. It certainly would have been great to have had him in my son's life for a few more years. He would be so proud of the man my son has become. And I am sure that he would have pointed out that my son is a lot like me when I was his age.
It's funny how memories creep into your brain sometimes. Something you haven't thought about in years just pops in. One in particular was Saturday mornings. My mom usually worked on Saturdays so Dad would do the grocery shopping. Sometimes I would go with him but most Saturday mornings I would be glued to the TV set watching Saturday morning cartoons and old reruns of Star Trek and the Dick Van Dyke Show. Around noon Dad would return with the groceries and I would help him unpack. Then he would get lunch ready for anyone of us kids who were around. Most Saturdays it was just me and him. I can still taste and smell his favorite Saturday dish. He would fry up some ground beef and then stir in a can or two of Heinz Spaghetti. Then he would give us both a heaping plate full and we would sit in front of the TV to watch Grand Pre Wrestling. When it ended my Dad was usually fast asleep having a well deserved nap and I was out the door to go play with my friends.
As I think about that time I wish I could have one more Saturday like that one with my father. I hope that I have given my own son some shared experiences that he will think back on years from now. In the mean time I will continue to create memories and wish all Dads the best of Father's Day.
