An eight-year-old photo of father and sons. Ralph Boas flanked by Toby (left) and Tim Boas |
SIMPLY LIVING
With Father ’s Day less than a week away, dad-centered gift
promotions are coming on strong. Peruse
the pages of any periodical or newsprint and you’ll see ads for everything from
casual clothing and camping gear to grilling accessories, techno-gadgets and sports
paraphernalia. Advertisers are doing
their best to convince us that the latest ‘This’ or hottest ‘That’ is the
perfect way to tell Dad he’s special.
In our family, Dad (better known as "Papa") is a marketer’s
nightmare. On a scale of 1 to 10, his
desire for store-bought gifts registers around minus 15. Madonna may have sung about Material Girl but
my husband is the proverbial Non-Material Man.
That said, there is one gift my dear husband would
like. So kids (we have four), if you’re
reading this, pay attention. The one present
Papa wants for Father’s Day is this: One
Easy Day.
One Easy Day is a day without problems to solve. It’s a day without drama, trauma or
strife. It’s 24 straight hours without
anything breaking or going awry. The
computer doesn’t malfunction, water pipes don’t leak and caterpillars are
considerate enough to leave the tomato leaves alone.
On his One Easy Day your father is free to do whatever he
likes without interrupting phone calls, distracting texts or attention-diverting
emails. He can busy himself in the
garden, go for a swim, take a long walk and bounce on the trampoline. He can exercise to his heart’s content or take
a nap if he’s tired. Instead of being
social worker, counselor, judge or jury, he can just be himself doing the
things he likes best.
One Easy Day isn’t about ignoring the people he loves. It’s about enjoying his family. It’s a day of harmony, happiness and feelings
of gratitude. Although his problem solving
skills are beyond compare, on this one day of the year my husband (your dad)
would like to give those skills a rest.
When our children were little, presents weren’t necessary. Sweet hugs and kisses were gift enough to
prove their love. As children grow older,
they sometimes forget that the best gifts to give are the simplest
pleasures. A kind word (or two or three…),
a gentle touch, an expression of appreciation means much more than anything bought.
One Easy Day is too special to be reserved for fathers
only. There are times when each of us
needs a day when nothing goes wrong. As
good as we might all be at figuratively putting out fires, there something to
be said for spending a few well-deserved hours in a flame-free zone.
On June 16th, when dads around the country are
unwrapping boxes filled with flashlights, fancy phones and brand new socks, I’m
going to give my husband a massage. I
plan to turn the cell phone off, put the computer to sleep and hope-hope-hope
that nothing in the house or property demands his attention.
And kids - if you’re listening – on Father’s Day, please do
your best to give Papa a rest. On June
17th I promise he’ll be back into full fledged fix-it mode, happy to
answer your banking questions, offer advice about medical issues and listen to
your relationship problems with every ounce of his usual patience.
But just for this one special day, let’s
agree to surround him with peace. One
Easy Day…wouldn’t it be nice.
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