What Makes a Great Dad?

One who contemplates before making big decisions.
One who stands strong when there are afflictions.

One who helps when help is needed.
One who shares when others feel defeated.

One who works hard to provide.
One who plays to soften the tide.

One who knows the Gospel is true.
One who loves us through and through.

What makes a great Dad? Your Dad--that's who.



My own Dad was gentle and loving. He knew the Gospel was true and lived it all his days. He was a farmer by trade, but was a boiler man at the sugar factory, and also a canal "rider" to supplement the finances. He had some close calls in his day. For example, he was riding on a "cabless" tractor by the canal under our hill, and the tractor tipped over into the canal. It momentarily pinned him under, but miraculously he got out and walked back up to the house. Mom and I were gone at the time, and by the time we got home he had changed clothes and hung the wet ones on the clothesline. That was the first indication to mother that something wrong had happened. He had an attack of appendicitis while working at the sugar factory and had to come home early. That was when he said he was no longer going to work there. He loved flowers and gardening. It seemed he enjoyed life for the most part, and I think he was happy when he was able to join his own father in the heavens.

Happy Father's Dad to my dad, my father in law, your dad, and to you who are fathers in the family. I love you. Mom