Happy Father's Day

Tomorrow, as we celebrate the many fathers in our lives—friends, family, and associates—I am reminded of how long it’s been since I’ve said the words “Happy Father’s Day” to my own father: thirty-one years.

He was my best friend, my confidant, and my ally. He was my biggest champion.

As a young boy in fifth grade, I remember having an idea for a new game. “Ideas are worthless until you turn them into reality,” my father told me. Okay, I said. So, I took hours and hours to draw the game, write the rules, and create a design (and remember, this was well before computers). Every day he checked in, “How’s it going?” he asked. “It’s going great!” I replied.

Finally, weeks later, my idea was a reality. Then my father taught me that you have to sell your idea. “Okay,” I said again. “How do I do that?” He took the time to take me to the library and show me how to find the corporate address of Milton Bradley, the game manufacturer.

“Got it. Now are we ready?” I asked him. “No,” he said with his comforting voice. “Now you need to type a letter and prepare your material.”

Wow, this selling thing is a lot of work. 

Then he taught me how to type, format a letter, package my game idea, and mail it.

He did this time and time again with every idea I brainstormed.

And most of the packages got responses—formal letters from corporations addressed to “Mr. Tim Clevenger.” From my perspective now, I realize these were likely canned letters. I’m sure he knew that too. However, every time I would get home from school, he would excitedly say, “There’s a letter for you, Timmy. This could be the one!”

I would open each letter with a sense of awe, excitement, and anticipation.

My father believed in me.

And that caused me to believe in myself.

As a young boy and then a young man, I thought I’d have my champion by my side forever. When I said “Happy Father’s Day” to him in June of 1988, I suspected it might be the last time. But I clung to the hope that maybe I’d get one more year with him. I didn’t. I lost my champion. I lost my dad.

We never know how long we have with those we love. Don’t miss the opportunity to tell them you love them. Embrace them and hold them dear.

And for those of you with fathers who are living, make sure you wish them “Happy Father’s Day” tomorrow and tell them how much you love them. And for those of you with fathers who are on the other side, raise a toast in their honor.

Happy Father’s Day, Dad!