I need to wish my father, John, and my father-in-law, Craig Mills, a very Happy Father’s Day! I’ll extend the same greeting to all dads out there, and I hope that everyone has a great weekend.
I think we can all agree that shopping for dad is tough. As I’m writing this column, I cannot think of anything that I want or need as a gift this Father’s Day. If anything, I believe the concert tickets that I bought a few weeks ago for Wilco (one of my favorite bands playing Aug. 12 at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids) could technically count as a present, as it is something that I am really looking forward to.
Knowing my wife, Kasey, she’s probably got a few surprises up her sleeves. She’s a genuinely thoughtful gift-giver, something that I can only strive to improve. I don’t know how she does it! Seriously, Kasey will somehow remember something I had mentioned months ago and turn that into a gift. I also know that she probably won’t read this column, so I’ll be sure to verbalize just how much I appreciate all the things that she does for me, including this upcoming Father’s Day.
I also realize that this time of year can be a hard one for those who have recently lost their father. I think of my life-long best friend, Marty, who recently lost his father, Ray. I was fortunate to spend a lot of time with Ray, and he taught me an awful lot. One of my fondest memories was being invited to join their family for homemade Italian sausage. It was quite the process, and at first, Ray didn’t think I was ready because of just how labor-intensive the job was. What he didn’t realize is that I was just happy to be included because I enjoyed being around Ray and their family. I drove into Lockport, Illinois, last week to celebrate the life of Ray with Marty and his family. It was great seeing all of them; I just wish it had been under better circumstances.
Maybe it’s the gift of time that I should really request this Father’s Day. How can I get more time spent with my family, father, and father-in-law? We’re constantly on the go (granted, things have slowed down for me, having stopped most of my DJ gigs). Ultimately, it falls back on me to make the time and to prioritize it, and that’s something I can work on, maybe as a Father’s Day gift to myself.
Have a great weekend and a Happy Father’s Day to all!
