by Leslie Farin

What memories do you have about your dad? I have many sweet ones that stuck with me through the years. Thought I’d share a few…

*We all looked forward to Saturday nights at our house as kids. Dad turned off the lights in the living room and we all gathered around the coffee table where dad read us Sherlock Holmes stories by candlelight. It all seemed so mysterious.

*Our original family was 7, and now with partners and children we are 17…and of course we all have birthdays. At some point, combining birthdays that occurred in the same month became necessary from a practical standpoint. Though we shared celebrations, each person still received their own full-size cake, complete with candles, name and sometimes a photo. Not big cake eaters, it is unusual for my family to finish 1 whole cake, let alone 2 or 3. Dad did not want anyone to feel slighted, even if it meant a lot of cake ended up in the trash. He felt it was a small price to pay if the result was each of us felt special on our birthday. We continue that tradition today.

*Dad’s advice to me when I was dating was to carefully observe how the guy treated his mother. He said doing so would provide a good idea of how he might treat me when I became older and more familiar. I’ve passed this advice onto my children!

Father’s Day is a special day. Please share your dad stories with us!