This One Is For You, Dads.

Dear Dads,

Oftentimes you may feel forgotten and you don’t always get the credit you deserve. Moms repeatedly get recognition while you sometimes get treated like you have no part in your family at all. Like you aren’t as important. 

But let me tell you, that couldn't be any more wrong. 

Dads, you model what selfless love is. Day in and day out, you give the best of what you have to offer and take only the leftovers. You make sure your family is comfortable, even when it makes you uncomfortable. You work your life away to give your family the best life they can have, and you do it without complaining (and often times, without proper appreciation). 

To the dads of babies, toddlers, and young children: 

While everyone focuses on mom and baby, you often get tossed to the sidelines. But you aren’t forgotten about. Your loving support during those tough few months and years are so vital, and your struggles are just as important as mom's. While she has the weight of the children on her shoulders, you have the weight of your whole family on yours.

Your level of sacrifice hits an extreme. You are still establishing a firm financial foundation for your household, which often translates to long days and nights working. You oftentimes miss out on the first milestones, the celebrations, the recitals and ball games. You often miss seeing the practices that lead up to the main performances, and sometimes you even miss those too. You give up so much to be able to provide for your family and it's such a noble act.

But you can rest assured knowing that you are so loved. Those sweet children of yours miss you dearly when you are gone. They ask about you all day and scream with excitement when you walk through the door. Mommy is often chopped liver to the perfection of their daddy. You can do no wrong in their little eyes.

To the dads of teens and college students: 

Your children may act like you aren’t cool or smart, but behind their embarrassed expressions and pleas to stop telling jokes that aren’t funny to them, they look up to you. They admire you. 

Your sons look to you for their example of who they may be one day. They see a man who will fight for their family, who won’t give up until they get what they are striving for, and who provides until they have nothing left to give. They see glimpses of who they hope to be one day. 

Your daughters look to you for a standard that they will expect in their future husband. You are helping shape who they will hope to marry one day. You are helping to shape their expectations on what kind of love they think they deserve. 

You are molding them, even as they are reaching out for freedom and independence. 

To the dads of grown children and also to the granddads:

Your children are grown now and have families of their own. They may act like your work is done, but it’s not. It never will be. They will forever come to you for advice and guidance. They have a newfound sense of understanding of all that you went through when you were their age. They understand the sacrifices and how hard that was for you. They get it now. 

Love on those beautiful grandchildren of yours. They are the bonus after all your hard work. Take part in helping shape their lives, too. Those little ears are always listening, those little eyes are always watching, and those little hearts love their grandpa with everything they have. 

So, thank you dads. For your sacrifices. For your patience and forgiveness. For your guidance and wisdom. 

But mostly, thank you for your never ending love.