Editor’s note: Father’s Day is Sunday, and members of the Vernon and District Family History Society were challenged to present a story for the theme, “Father’s Day — Work and Play in the lives of our Menfolk” at their summer social last week. Erika Lambert wrote Fathers of Fathers in tribute to her dad, Stan Baron.
A tall young agile father and his ever growing tall son scrutinize the valley below them. Strapped to their bodies is gear as if they are bush pilots. Just like pilots, they glide over tree tops and with their pilot-like eagle eyes survey the wide natural landscape for any unique objects.
The young father remembers lying in his crib and looking up at the colourful airplane mobile suspended overhead, planes flying over his small head. He recalls when his father had taken him to the highest level in the airport tower and with eager eyes excitingly assessed the various airplanes, below him, on the airport runway.
At first, he had felt small in comparison to his father and these huge machines, but had been thrilled to be experiencing this with his father.
Now, on top of the high mountain he has another perspective. He feels tall in comparison to what’s below. The place is quiet, with no whirling squeaking machines about. And beside him is an excited youth who is thrilled to share this experience with his father, containing the thrill of this moment to be recalled many years in his future.
The young father recalls the airplane stories his father and airplane mechanic grandfather had shared with him in the distant past. He feels at ease, as his grandfather had felt, when he had flown the quiet sleek glider planes for which he’d had a passion.
They say certain family characteristics show up in children and grandchildren. The young father has inherited his father’s and grandfather’s elation when he is elevated far above the cares seen below and is at peace in this quietness. It may be experienced in an airplane or hiking high up a mountain top. He feels the same pride of fatherhood when he shares these experiences with his son, as most previous fathers have felt before him.
Meanwhile, in another part of a country, another young proud father stands tall as his eyes skate back and forth over shiny striped ice as if he is on that same ice, packed in gear, following a puck with a long stick. He continues to survey the scene as his eyes follow a very special fast agile hockey player, his son, on that ice.
He recalls his own first time when his proud father had packed him into hockey gear, strapped blades on his small feet, and had him fearlessly face a same small black object on the frozen ice. He had felt small in comparison to his father and that intimidating puck. He recalls the excitement and thrill he had experienced the times he had controlled that small puck on the ice and had propelled it straight into a special compound surrounded by a net in order to capture it.
He recalls the stories he had heard about Canadian hockey heroes and, like many Canadian boys, envisions this for himself. His award winning son’s grandfather may have had the same dream for himself. After all, this is a Canadian man’s sport.
Now in this modern arena, he has another perspective. He feels tall in comparison to his surroundings. He sees the effort his son puts into perfecting skills in this very highly competitive team sport and is proud of his son’s achievements. Another excited youth is thrilled to share this experience with his father.
The young father has passed onto his son the characteristic elation of directing, passing, and projecting a small object until it finds itself captured and stopped in its tracks. This elation may be experienced on an ice rink or on a golf course, to be recalled in later years. He feels the same pride of fatherhood when he shares these experiences with his son, as previous fathers have felt before him.
The Hearts of Fathers
for Their Sons
The hearts of fathers,
Uncles and brothers,
Who want for all sons
To live life with fun.
To be free from heartaches:
To be free from heartbreaks:
To be free from headaches.
To be financially free:
To be healthy, he’d see
To have that guarantee:
To hear sounds harmonized:
To feel love energized:
To taste wealthy dividends:
To smell sweet blessed blends:
To have trustworthy friends.
Everyone’s fathers’ hugs;
Like everyone’s love drugs,
Arouses sons’ passion
Into spirited action.
Fathers spare sons’ worries
From curiosities.
They hope sons won’t forget:
“Let go, Let Love” blanket
Everyone’s heart’s trustees.
Fathers’ love sends to sons,
Heartbeats that say,
“Well-done!”
