When I was a boy, my family came to live in Canada where there were many new experiences, and one of those was Father's Day.
My siblings and myself learned about the celebration at school, so we were able to introduce a new tradition into our family home, giving the typical hand-made gifts and funny ties to our dad each year.
Over the years my appreciation of my dad has grown, and, while I do like to call him on Father's Day to tell him I love him, I have also come to understand that we should be telling our loved ones that we appreciate who they are each and every day. Now, I too am both a son and a father to my two children. While I seldom spend time with my dad because of the distance, I do spend 24/7 with my family.
In our world, Father's Day is every day. I think that the many years on the road touring turned me into a guy who wanted to be grounded, to be at home.
To that end, my wife and I decided to construct an off-grid home for our children, and our dog Zena. Our beautiful home is built into the side of a hill (talk about being grounded). We have solar power for our electricity; we home school; we work from home; and our house is made of recycled materials. The building is complete with fresh learning experiences on a daily basis.
As an ‘at home dad’ I am able to spend lots of quality time with my kids. While I enjoy hearing the words “Happy Father's Day” from my kids, I also realize how great my life is, and how often I get to feel the love and appreciation of my children. We have the opportunity to be with, and learn from each other, everyday.
We all love watching the ladybugs, in our huge indoor gardens (complete with pineapples, bananas, peppers, tomatoes and other yummy food) lay their eggs on pepper leaves. We filmed the hatching and all the stages that the ladybug goes through. A fascinating and fabulous experience. Our friendly house toad Steve, has also served as a tremendous learning tool, not to mention all the help he gives us in bug management.
When Father's Day comes I will officially tell my dad that I love and appreciate him, but that won't stop me from telling him as regularly as possible. While it is good to have a special day to mark the occasion, it is even better to celebrate our appreciation of life , love and one another, every day.
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