Garrison has this to say this honored day: "...Nonetheless, it strikes me as wasteful to set aside a Sunday in June to honor ejaculation." It made me laugh out loud with my wife asking what's it all about, and me, now, having enough sense to keep my mouth shut.
Fatherhood is far more than an ejacular squirt. It was his being there when were growing up. It's his being proud of what we did well, whether we aced our English course with a B+, or wired the 3-way electric switch properly and it all worked without our blowing a fuse.
Proper dad-hood was his being there when we needed him, and his admonishment when needed. I do like your idea of Parents Day. Too many youth today are growiing up with only one parent and no discipline and oversight. Some of the early teenagers without a caring dad are hooking up with gangs and drugs and firearms. Moms often can't stop it, with many parenting and working alone.
Today ejaculation among the unbetrothed is "Anything goes," with neither father and mother bothering to add a contraceptive which are now cheap and only a drugtore away. But drinking and drugs often don't protect either. Then the mother is all alone and left with another human being on its way, faced with the dilemmas we have today.
Be glad, no matter how you were conceived, you are here today. Caring parents made us happen, and both our mom and dad made us better, if we were blessed to have both. Honor them both.
Agree with you, Mr. Keillor, on how the generations are evolving. My Dad was born in 1897 and was 54 when I was born…..yes, I was an oops baby…….he believed children should be seen and not heard. He didn’t think kids were very intelligent which is sad because they most certainly are quite aware about what’s going on around them and understand things better than the parents do sometimes.
He was raised in an abusive home so I appreciate he did not physically abuse any of us so he evolved a bit from what he knew. He did try which is commendable. I’m 71 now and dad’s been gone 40 years.
I love it that you observed the fathers of today helping with their children and treating them with kindness and love. That’s so wonderful. It certainly gives me hope for the future.
Father's Day is nothing more than a gratuitous offering from greeting card companies to the men of the world. Pandering at best with an eye-roll, labored sigh, pat on the back and an insincere "thank you" from offspring, wives and mothers. Once the cards are handed over and opened, the unspoken words "Can I get back to my phone/game/TV Show" are evident on their faces as they slowly back out of the room you're in. Then just as you think you're going to get an actual day to relax and tinker on some long forgotten project you've been working on, your wife comes to you and says "My love, before you get into that, could you do me one little thing?" One little thing, sure, you think to yourself, how bad could it be? "Yes honey what can I do for you?" and without blinking an eye she says "Paint the house". Now you've already agreed to do it by say "Yes honey what can I do for you", you've nailed your own coffin. Good job.
My wife was a single divorced mom and had two very young daughters when we met. That didn't bother me and though I never procreated myself, I was fine with having an instant family and assumed the role of Step-Father. Which as anyone will tell you, is nestled somewhere between car salesman and wasps nest on the likability scale. I had a step-father and he was a hard-ass, my brother and I didn't really care for him much in the early years and it was only when he became old and feeble did we come close to bonding. My step-daughters have a cavalier attitude towards me and one of them has raised her three girls in much the same way. Though I was good to them and they were treated with great respect, as a step-father you only get so much in return. Usually in the form of "Oh, okay fine, I'll call and wish him a happy father's day" at the nudging of their mother. Gratuitous platitudes coming from the mouth and not the heart we don't need and or want.
I'm all for the erasing of father's day from the calendar. Our rewards are in what we do for ourselves, our successes and our pleasures. The long bicycle ride, the motorcycle ride, watching the game, going fishing, playing an instrument or reading a good book. Those are our rewards for being fathers and step-fathers. Those fleeting moments of solitude when we can just be without being told how to be. Let's face it, as men, we are just employees with wives and children as our bosses.
The instant we saw the date of your show to be presented at the Ryman auditorium we made the decision to attend. No problem at all to make reservations for travel from Nebraska to Nashville TN. Then our calendar was checked and that moment of joy ended, we had a serious appointment right here at home. We are now checking on other engagements you are entertaining at. Fingers crossed.
Well done. Both days were probably started by Hallmark, but it’s good to set aside a day to honor and remember times together good and bad. Your humor is a blessing.
My brilliant, beautiful wife, mother of our children, died in 1998 of leukemia. Wouldn’t I have loved having her around telling me what to do these past 24 years.
It seems to me that the disparate treatment between recognition of fathers on their day, and mothers, on theirs, isn't only a "made in America" problem. I belonged to a fundamentalist "Ukrainian Full Gospel Church" for several years. On Mothers' Day, all the children in church school would line up and recite some saccharine poem about "Mama!" My goodness! Considering most of these immigrant families had responded to the Former Soviet Union's "Have a lot of kids" campaign and incentives, the average family size was around ten to a dozen children. Since Dad had the daytime job (Ma was on night shift), Mother was the parent they had the most contact with. Still, every time I heard a Mother's Day presentation, I'd think to myself "You're going overboard! What about Father?" I'd also wonder if that sort of glossy packaging was deemed necessary, since most likely "Mother" was the chief disciplinarian. The funny thing is, I can't recall a single "Father's Day Service' at all! Not Fair!
I had a friend who sold insurance. He said that “if the wife couldn’t make the appointment I knew I wouldn’t sell any insurance”.
He’s right about the new dads- I see far more these days alone with the kids, pushing strollers. I think they’re doing a better job than my generation. But we don’t celebrate either Mother’s Day or Father’s Day in our clan- I taught my kids that they’re Hallmark Hollidays.
Absolutely hilarious and spot on. GK (like another GK, Chesterton) has laser-eyed acuity in his sociological observances, plus he’s hilarious. I’m a 70 year old father of four and the grandfather of a three-month old granddaughter whose Mom and Dad are going to move to a new home just four blocks away. Feeling very, very blessed. And though I am regularly reminded of that great observation by Sam Levenson, “The reason grandparents and grandchildren get along so well is because they share a common enemy,” I am deeply grateful to my daughter and son-in-law for my granddaughter. And thanks, too, GK, for the postscript about your then seven year old son asking if his divorcing Mom and Dad could try taking turns being right, which drove a needle into a thirty year old wound of remorse. It’s not a very good justification to admit that at the time, it just didn’t seem worth the effort.
Wonderful observations for which I am grateful to have read.
Garrison has this to say this honored day: "...Nonetheless, it strikes me as wasteful to set aside a Sunday in June to honor ejaculation." It made me laugh out loud with my wife asking what's it all about, and me, now, having enough sense to keep my mouth shut.
Fatherhood is far more than an ejacular squirt. It was his being there when were growing up. It's his being proud of what we did well, whether we aced our English course with a B+, or wired the 3-way electric switch properly and it all worked without our blowing a fuse.
Proper dad-hood was his being there when we needed him, and his admonishment when needed. I do like your idea of Parents Day. Too many youth today are growiing up with only one parent and no discipline and oversight. Some of the early teenagers without a caring dad are hooking up with gangs and drugs and firearms. Moms often can't stop it, with many parenting and working alone.
Today ejaculation among the unbetrothed is "Anything goes," with neither father and mother bothering to add a contraceptive which are now cheap and only a drugtore away. But drinking and drugs often don't protect either. Then the mother is all alone and left with another human being on its way, faced with the dilemmas we have today.
Be glad, no matter how you were conceived, you are here today. Caring parents made us happen, and both our mom and dad made us better, if we were blessed to have both. Honor them both.
From the 2nd paragraph, I think you underestimate the opinion of the family cat. Other than that good.
Mom & Dad's Day is brilliant!
Agree with you, Mr. Keillor, on how the generations are evolving. My Dad was born in 1897 and was 54 when I was born…..yes, I was an oops baby…….he believed children should be seen and not heard. He didn’t think kids were very intelligent which is sad because they most certainly are quite aware about what’s going on around them and understand things better than the parents do sometimes.
He was raised in an abusive home so I appreciate he did not physically abuse any of us so he evolved a bit from what he knew. He did try which is commendable. I’m 71 now and dad’s been gone 40 years.
I love it that you observed the fathers of today helping with their children and treating them with kindness and love. That’s so wonderful. It certainly gives me hope for the future.
Mr. Keillor,
Father's Day is nothing more than a gratuitous offering from greeting card companies to the men of the world. Pandering at best with an eye-roll, labored sigh, pat on the back and an insincere "thank you" from offspring, wives and mothers. Once the cards are handed over and opened, the unspoken words "Can I get back to my phone/game/TV Show" are evident on their faces as they slowly back out of the room you're in. Then just as you think you're going to get an actual day to relax and tinker on some long forgotten project you've been working on, your wife comes to you and says "My love, before you get into that, could you do me one little thing?" One little thing, sure, you think to yourself, how bad could it be? "Yes honey what can I do for you?" and without blinking an eye she says "Paint the house". Now you've already agreed to do it by say "Yes honey what can I do for you", you've nailed your own coffin. Good job.
My wife was a single divorced mom and had two very young daughters when we met. That didn't bother me and though I never procreated myself, I was fine with having an instant family and assumed the role of Step-Father. Which as anyone will tell you, is nestled somewhere between car salesman and wasps nest on the likability scale. I had a step-father and he was a hard-ass, my brother and I didn't really care for him much in the early years and it was only when he became old and feeble did we come close to bonding. My step-daughters have a cavalier attitude towards me and one of them has raised her three girls in much the same way. Though I was good to them and they were treated with great respect, as a step-father you only get so much in return. Usually in the form of "Oh, okay fine, I'll call and wish him a happy father's day" at the nudging of their mother. Gratuitous platitudes coming from the mouth and not the heart we don't need and or want.
I'm all for the erasing of father's day from the calendar. Our rewards are in what we do for ourselves, our successes and our pleasures. The long bicycle ride, the motorcycle ride, watching the game, going fishing, playing an instrument or reading a good book. Those are our rewards for being fathers and step-fathers. Those fleeting moments of solitude when we can just be without being told how to be. Let's face it, as men, we are just employees with wives and children as our bosses.
Father's Day? Bah-Humbug.
The instant we saw the date of your show to be presented at the Ryman auditorium we made the decision to attend. No problem at all to make reservations for travel from Nebraska to Nashville TN. Then our calendar was checked and that moment of joy ended, we had a serious appointment right here at home. We are now checking on other engagements you are entertaining at. Fingers crossed.
Well done. Both days were probably started by Hallmark, but it’s good to set aside a day to honor and remember times together good and bad. Your humor is a blessing.
My brilliant, beautiful wife, mother of our children, died in 1998 of leukemia. Wouldn’t I have loved having her around telling me what to do these past 24 years.
Good one, Garrison, thanks.
It seems to me that the disparate treatment between recognition of fathers on their day, and mothers, on theirs, isn't only a "made in America" problem. I belonged to a fundamentalist "Ukrainian Full Gospel Church" for several years. On Mothers' Day, all the children in church school would line up and recite some saccharine poem about "Mama!" My goodness! Considering most of these immigrant families had responded to the Former Soviet Union's "Have a lot of kids" campaign and incentives, the average family size was around ten to a dozen children. Since Dad had the daytime job (Ma was on night shift), Mother was the parent they had the most contact with. Still, every time I heard a Mother's Day presentation, I'd think to myself "You're going overboard! What about Father?" I'd also wonder if that sort of glossy packaging was deemed necessary, since most likely "Mother" was the chief disciplinarian. The funny thing is, I can't recall a single "Father's Day Service' at all! Not Fair!
We can't come to see you in Nashville, but boy are your books and broadcasts and Internet specialities great in our lives! All cheers.
I had a friend who sold insurance. He said that “if the wife couldn’t make the appointment I knew I wouldn’t sell any insurance”.
He’s right about the new dads- I see far more these days alone with the kids, pushing strollers. I think they’re doing a better job than my generation. But we don’t celebrate either Mother’s Day or Father’s Day in our clan- I taught my kids that they’re Hallmark Hollidays.
Your 7 year old son, like the late Rodney King, had the best idea for all humanity.
Absolutely hilarious and spot on. GK (like another GK, Chesterton) has laser-eyed acuity in his sociological observances, plus he’s hilarious. I’m a 70 year old father of four and the grandfather of a three-month old granddaughter whose Mom and Dad are going to move to a new home just four blocks away. Feeling very, very blessed. And though I am regularly reminded of that great observation by Sam Levenson, “The reason grandparents and grandchildren get along so well is because they share a common enemy,” I am deeply grateful to my daughter and son-in-law for my granddaughter. And thanks, too, GK, for the postscript about your then seven year old son asking if his divorcing Mom and Dad could try taking turns being right, which drove a needle into a thirty year old wound of remorse. It’s not a very good justification to admit that at the time, it just didn’t seem worth the effort.
Hello Mr. Keillor, I was wondering if you would like to do an interview with me about my Newsletter and corporation, A.M. Productions?
A.M. Productions,
Produce, Before Dawn