A TRIBUTE TO FATHERS
Father’s Day is a special day to show your Dad your gratitude for what he is. We cannot be in this world without our fathers. They have provided us with many things in life, and the occasion gives us an opportunity to express our love and appreciation for them.
The idea of having a Father’s Day came to the mind of Sonora Smart while she was listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909, in Spokane, Washington. After the death of her mother, she along with her five siblings, was raised by her father. Sonora wanted to tell her father how very special he was, and what role he played in her life. She wanted to honour her father’s sacrifices that he made for his children. As Sonora’s father was born in June, she chose June 19th, 1910 to hold what was the first Father’s Day celebration.
Today, Father’s Day is observed on the third Sunday in June in most countries in the world. United States’ President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation in 1966 declaring this day as Father’s Day, and six years later, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father’s Day, and made it a federal holiday in the United States.
Fathers are the biggest source of strength for a child, and for daughters like myself, fathers are the first men they adore. I lost my father in 2009, and on this Father’s Day, I would like to pay a personal tribute to my Dad by sharing a poem by Ron Tranmer.
I’ve been told that I am thoughtful,
That my feet are on the ground.
Some say that I am likeable,
And fun to be around.
It’s been said that to my principals
I stand firm and true.
That I’m dependable and honest
In the things I say and do.
But the single greatest compliment
That I have ever had,
Is when people tell me
“You remind us of your Dad”