Today is Father’s Day.  Whoever, However, Whatever today relates to you, have a pleasant day.  There are assorted Father’s in my constellation, one of which is me.

Saturday morning in front of this screen I took the below photo.  The second photo is on the wall behind me, “among my souvenirs”.  This is my ‘home place’, where all of these posts originate.  Nothing fancy – just as it is.

I’ve been a Dad since 1964 – not as long a run as some, but long enough to have seen more than a bit of the territory of fatherhood!

I grew up in the days memorialized by “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “Father Knows Best” and the like – programs which were more or less mostly accepted as the standard for defining Dad and Mom and family.  “All in the Family” signaled  that change was a-coming.

In 1971 I did a newsletter for the Teacher’s Association of which I was part, and in one issue included the names and addresses of all of the members of the Minnesota state legislature, numbering 141 Senators and Representatives.  In that year, just going by first names of the legislators, there were 140 men and one woman (who happened to be from  a southern Minnesota community).  A friend of mine, 95, was a Senator in that class.  I shared the list with him.  It was as I surmised.  It was as clear an example of disparity as one can imagine.  But the winds of change were starting to blow.

Long and short, for me, as Father’s Day comes this year, as we  are now, every single one of us who are adults either have or will at some time or another, fill one or many of the roles which once were restricted to either men or women strictly by virtue of gender.

Back in 2006 did a short essay on “Community” which comes to mind as I write.  It’s about a page and a half.  Take a look: Community by Dick Bernard 2006.  

Have a good Father’s Day, everyone!