A Father's Day Tribute

Happy Father’s Day to Dad, Grandpas Rasmussen and Thomas, Dave, John, Matt, Bryce, and Curtis.

At the request of Parade Magazine, President Obama wrote his reflections on what fatherhood means to him. It is a beautiful essay that in many respects is reminiscent of the counsel we receive from our church leaders in General Conference. You can read the whole text at http://www.parade.com/export/sites/default/news/2009/06/barack-obama-we-need-fathers-to-step-up.html. Here are a few excerpts from his remarks that were particularly thoughtful:

“We [fathers] need to realize that we are our children’s first and best teachers. When we are selfish or inconsiderate, when we mistreat our wives or girlfriends, when we cut corners or fail to control our tempers, our children learn from that—and it’s no surprise when we see those behaviors in our schools or on our streets.

“But it also works the other way around. When we work hard, treat others with respect, spend within our means, and contribute to our communities, those are the lessons our children learn. And that is what so many fathers are doing every day—coaching soccer and Little League, going to those school assemblies and parent-teacher conferences, scrimping and saving and working that extra shift so their kids can go to college. They are fulfilling their most fundamental duty as fathers: to show their children, by example, the kind of people they want them to become.

“It is rarely easy. There are plenty of days of struggle and heartache when, despite our best efforts, we fail to live up to our responsibilities. I know I have been an imperfect father. I know I have made mistakes. I have lost count of all the times, over the years, when the demands of work have taken me from the duties of fatherhood. There were many days out on the campaign trail when I felt like my family was a million miles away, and I knew I was missing moments of my daughters’ lives that I’d never get back. It is a loss I will never fully accept. . . .

“On this Father’s Day, I am recommitting myself to that work, to those duties that all parents share: to build a foundation for our children’s dreams, to give them the love and support they need to fulfill them, and to stick with them the whole way through, no matter what doubts we may feel or difficulties we may face. That is my prayer for all of us on this Father’s Day, and that is my hope for this nation in the months and years ahead.”

I am so grateful for my dad who has always exemplified this commitment toward his duties as a father. Dad has always been a great example to me of someone who works hard, exercises great patience, and readily expresses his unconditional love to our family. I love you, Dad!