Thinking Out Loud
Ties That Bind

June 17, 2012
By: Diane Szczepanski

"Sense shines with a double luster when it is set in humility. An able yet humble man is a jewel worth a kingdom." ~ William Penn

I've never gotten my Dad a tie for Father's Day.

Ties were worn by him on very few occasions. A wedding, a funeral, a graduation and perhaps, a few New Years Eve's when he and my mom used to get all gussied up and go out.

My dad was a working man, sweating it out in 120 degree temperatures in a hot manufacturing plant. Third shift, no less, during most of his working years.

The words humbleness and humility have my Dad's picture next them in the dictionary. So does, humorous and honorable.

I never know what to get my dad for Father's Day.

How does one pay tribute to the blessings of a lifetime of fatherhood by a man who exemplifies the very meaning of it, with trinkets and store bought gifts?

Will the new golf shirt really bestow how honored I have been to be his daughter? Or will a book of car wash coupons say it better?

Both seem so inadequate for his years of quality service in the parental trenches and I feel a bit embarrassed to offer trite tokens in an expression of gratefulness. The stability of his presence my entire life deserves more than that.

I think this year the best way my son and I can say thank you to him, as our father and grandfather, is to spend time with him.

The gift of a tie wouldn't do him much good these days, although he would still thank us profusely, because that's just the way he is.

But, add an 'm' to the word 'tie' and he would really appreciate that. It's what he's always given us and what we need to give in return.

I know it's all I really want from my child and I'm betting a pretty solid bet my Dad feels the same way.

Time.

Now THAT, the gift of each others time, is the tie that really binds a family together.

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there, who hold their time with family as a priceless treasure.