A tribute to my Dad, and all great Dads, on this Father’s Day:

The year was 1976 and Leo Sayer had just released what I thought was, in my uncultured teenage mind, one of  the greatest song ever recorded.  I remember jumping to my feet and dancing with delight whenever I would hear the intro start to play on the radio.

One Friday night after the album’s recent release, I pleaded with my mother to stop by Sam Goody’s and pick it up for me since she and my father were heading out to do a little shopping.  My mother, who wasn’t in the most charitable of moods that evening, halted my pleas with the excuse that they wouldn’t have the time to stop at the mall.  Just as my 15-year old heart was starting to deflate with resignation, I heard the creak of my bedroom door and saw my father’s face peeking in.  “Sam,” he said, “Write down the name of that album you want on a slip of paper.  Hurry up.”  I woke up the next morning to see Leo Sayer’s animated face smiling down at me, perched on my bedroom dresser.  37 years later, I still have the album.

It was just one of the many small acts of love my father bestowed upon me from the vast sea of larger ones.  He was an imperfect man in an imperfect world with one of the biggest hearts I have ever known.  While he wasn’t a particularly demonstrative man, his actions always spoke louder than his words, ensuring that those he loved never had to doubt his love for them.  Throughout the years I watched as he performed random acts of kindness for strangers and people he hardly knew, and was the first in line to help out a friend.

I lost my dad much too early in this game, but there’s hardly a day that his memory, or what he’s taught me, doesn’t present itself in my life.  If you were one of the lucky ones to be blessed with a great dad, take the time today to let him know how much he means to you.  Whether he’s in spirit or standing in front of you love is, after all, eternal.

To my Dad, until we see each other again … I hope you’re dancing.  Happy Father’s Day.