So it’s Father’s Day. Time to sleep in, take it easy, lay on the couch, get pampered by my family and maybe fall asleep with the U.S. Open on the television just in case it gets interesting enough to actually watch.
Ah, the good life.
I can hear my wife saying, “so, how is this Sunday any different than all the rest?”
Well, for one, the U.S. Open is on.
Actually I will get pampered a bit by my family – they asked me for a list this year but I always just say “Turtles” and I never get disappointed and, yes, they’ve come a long way from when they used to get me a video game they wanted and said I was more than welcome to play along with them, gee thanks – but for the last several years we’ve got up early, for us, and taken part in the annual Do it For Dad 8km Run and 3km Walk for prostate cancer.
It’s the 14th annual and I don’t know if we’ve been involved in every run but it seems like every year I walk and I vow to do the run the following year, and, yup, I’m keeping my perfect procrastination record intact again this year as I’ll be walking the beautiful Coldstream Ranch route once again.
It’s funny how these dates sneak up on you, especially when you need to prepare by actually going outside and running a little bit.
Hey, I do walk, OK, but even that’s been a little lacking lately if I’m being totally honest – that’s the problem with Stanley Cup playoff games that go into triple overtime, it leaves little time for other pursuits like physical exercise, and cutting the lawn, and cleaning the house and….
….anyway did I mention I’m walking this morning? Maybe just as you read this in the comfort of your own home, so it might be too late to join us – although if not, registration is at 8:30 a.m. with an event start time of 9:30 a.m., all at Coldstream Ranch on Highway 6, it’s a lot of fun so join us if you can.
However, as my dad would say, who has been involved in this cause for some time now, men of a certain age, me included, should also get their prostate checked annually.
And that’s what this walk and run is all about, keeping fathers around as long as possible and early detection is key towards that goal.
I know it’s not a fun topic, or fun test for that matter, for Father’s Day but it’s also important and oh so fitting on a day we salute our dads.
The way I figure it being a dad is one of the greatest gifts we have in life, and the three-letter word is still my favourite in the English language – although don’t tell my kids cause they’ll start thinking they’re special or something or that I’m proud of them and we just can’t have that.
I know a lot of us are old school about going to the doctor and such, especially when it comes to preventative-type stuff. Hey, I feel fine, why should I do anything about anything? Why rock the boat? No news is good news, isn‘t it?
Well, yeah, except when it’s not.
So suck it up and get checked if you’re of a certain age, or encourage your father to get one if that’s more in line with where you are in life.
And just to show that I’m not just talking the talk, even though I am walking the walk today (ha), I pledge here and now to get checked next week (there, dad, now I don’t have to buy you a tie) because I’m pretty sure it’s been at least a year now.
Happy Father’s Day everyone.
Glenn Mitchell is the managing editor for The Morning Star
