Hey Dad

Hey Dad

By John R. Greenwood

Tell mom to take her time, we're okay.

There’s something special about a son’s tug on your pant leg or arm. It’s a variation of hug that makes a father feel good inside. It creates a bond that can’t be described or explained. Daughters use “that look” or “that voice” to soften a father’s heart. With sons it’s not that simple. Real deal father/son moments are fleeting and rare. Capturing the simple father/son moment above was a genuine grandfather/son/grandson moment for me. These occasions only come around a few times in our lives. They have a different feel than a posed photo at a family function or holiday. Those little tugs are unspoken snippets of love that son’s seldom share openly with their fathers. Admiration and adoration from son to father and from father to son is not something you frequently see. It’s most touching when it’s unscripted and spontaneous. Father’s today are much better about sharing intimacy with their sons. They aren't as afraid of saying, “I love you” to them as they used to be. I’m not sure my father ever said,”I love you,” to me. I knew he loved me by the food he put on the table and the fish he taught me to catch. Just because he felt he didn’t need to say it doesn't mean he shouldn't have said it. Sometimes you want to see that vulnerability in a man. To me it shows his strength. To not give your son the gift of those three words is unfair. They deserve to hear it not just understand it to be so. When I hear my sons say it to their sons it makes up for any I missed.

To you fathers and sons reading this, go tug on one another’s sleeve and say, "I love you." 

You’ll feel better.

I guarantee it.