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Can we do a quick emotional check in today?
The older I get, the more I realize that holidays, while a time to celebrate, can also be a time of emotional turmoil and confusion.
For those of you who:
- have lost a father
- thought you’d be a father by now
- were hurt by your father
- haven’t talked to your father in longer than you’d like
- need to apologize to your father
- wish your father would apologize to you
- never knew your father
- are losing your father to a debilitating illness
- have a complicated relationship with your father…
hear me when I say:
- YOU ARE NOT ALONE
- I SEE YOU
- I GRIEVE WITH YOU
- I HOLD SPACE FOR OUR COLLECTIVE PAIN
What gives me hope are the men who have stood in the gap and raised the bar, especially for me and my children. We’ve been the recipient of love, mentorship, aid, home repairs, life lessons and so much more from neighbors, church members, teachers and even friends’ fathers.
And while my father is no longer with us, I’m forever grateful for the life he lived and the legacy he left as a first-generation Jewish American who served in WWII. He is the reason I sign off every show by saying, “Have a great day, make it great, and do not wait to tell someone who love how you feel about them.”
When you no longer have the chance to say it is usually the very minute you wish you could.
And if death or circumstance prevents you from saying something to your dad, please know that we have a Heavenly Father who is always willing to listen, understands our burdens, and can carry our pain. We may not always understand why things happen when they do or the way they do, but I’ll speak for myself when I say that even when I do not comprehend, I have learned to trust.
If you find yourself in need of a special prayer today, just leave a * in the comments and it would be my honor to pray for you by name right now.
