THE FATHERS OF OUR TIMES

Father is considered a title of HONOR given to all men who establish anything important in human life, to better mankind. A man who occupies an unusual place in history is sometimes also called a Father. The title has no official standing. It is given only by tradition. However, I believe all men have to work at the title "father" for their children!Love Our Fathers!Father of America – Samuel Adams, one of the most active patriots in the cause of American Independence.Father of Angling – Izaak Walton, who wrote about the delights of fishing in “The Compleat Angler” (1653).Father of Comedy – Aristophanes, who was the greatest of the Greek writers of comedy.Father of English History – The Venerable Bede, who wrote an Ecclesiastical History of English People.Father of New France – considered to be Samuel de Champlain.Father of His Country – was George Washington, because he is the Father of His Country to the people of the United States. This title has been given to many men throughout history; however, this was for the United States. But for others it was the Romans called Cicero the Father of His Country because he saved the state from the plots of Catiline. Julius Caesar and the Emperor Augustus also received the title.Father of Medicine – Hippocrates, who was a Greek physician and the most famous one of ancient times. He changed our world as we know it.Father of the Constitution – no doubt, James MadisonFather of History – Herodotus, who wrote the first great history of Greece and other ancient countries.Father of the Faithful – Abraham, who was the ancestor of the Hebrew race.Father is sometimes applied to anything of major or chief like importance. For example, the Mississippi is often called the “Father of Waters” because of the it’s many branches.Father is also given to priests of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches.The most important “Father” to us all is our own father. This word “Father” represents the greatest, important humans that have touched and affected our lives in a very positive way. They have given us life, hope, and belief to be the best we can be. That is what a “Father” is, a great man of many teachings. There are many fathers not mentioned in this article because they may have touched one person versus many people at one time as these father’s have above. However, Father’s are the foundation of our homes, families and lives regardless if they affect one person or many!Father’s Day is a day on which many people of the United States and Canada express gratitude and appreciation by giving their fathers presents and greeting cards. Father’s Day comes on the third Sunday in June. Mrs. John Bruce Dodd of Spokane, Washington, started Father’s Day in 1910. Later, the custom spread throughout the United States. In 1936, a national Father’s Day Committee was formed with the headquarters in New York City.This brief history lesson gives us a glimpse of the great Father’s of our times, how they have shaped our countries and our people. Let’s not forget the day to day fathers out there because we are blessed to have this day to celebrate with them or for them. Father’s are a gift nd we need to be thankful for all that they have done for us in the past, in the present and in the future. In our Mother’s Day blog, we noted our research finding that people listed their mothers as heroes more often than any other person. Fathers were a close second. Why are parents viewed as so heroic? Developmental psychologists tell us that the relationship we have with our parents is the first significant relationship of our lives. It is a relationship that indelibly shapes our values, our aspirations, and our future behavior. Thus when we experience successes in our careers and in our personal lives, it is not surprising that we attribute those triumphs, at least in part, to our parents.The origin of Father’s Day is not entirely clear, but there are several fascinating possibilities. Babylonian scholars have discovered a message carved in clay by a young man named Elmesu roughly 4,000 years ago. In the message, Elmesu wishes his father good health and a long life. Some believe this ancient message represents evidence of an established tradition of honoring fathers, but there is little evidence to support a specially designated Father’s Day until modern times.There is some debate about the origin of the Father’s Day that we celebrate today. Some claim that a West Virginian named Grace Golden Clayton deserves the credit. In 1907, Clayton was grieving the loss of her own father when a tragic mine explosion in Monongah killed 361 men, 250 of whom were fathers. Clayton requested that her church establish a day to honor these lost fathers and to help the children of the affected families heal emotionally. The date she suggested was July 8th, the anniversary of her own father’s death.Still others believe that the first Father’s Day was held on June 19, 1910 through the efforts of Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington. Inspired by the newly recognized Mother’s Day, Dodd felt strongly that fatherhood needed recognition as well. Her own father, William Smart, was a Civil War veteran who was left to raise his family alone when his wife died giving birth to their sixth child. Dodd was the only daughter, and she helped her father raise her younger brothers, including her new infant brother Marshall.Whereas Mother’s Day was met with instant enthusiasm, Father’s Day was initially met with scorn and derision. Few people believed that fathers wanted, or needed, any acknowledgement. It wasn’t until 1972 that President Richard Nixon made Father’s Day an official holiday. Today the holiday is widely celebrated in the month of June by more than 52 countries.Why are fathers heroes? The respondents in our survey listed two main reasons. First, fathers are given credit for being great teachers and mentors. They teach us how to fix a flat tire, shoot a basketball, and write a resume. Fathers are less emotional than mothers, but they lead by example and devote time demonstrating life skills to us. Former governor of New York, Mario Cuomo, once said, “I talk and talk and talk, and I haven’t taught people in 50 years what my father taught by example in one week.”Second, fathers are great providers and protectors. Our respondents told us that their fathers were heroes in their commitment to provide for their families, often at great sacrifice. Many fathers work at two or more jobs outside the home to ensure that their families have adequate food and shelter. Fathers also provide us with a sense of safety and protection. Sigmund Freud once wrote, “I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.”On this Father’s Day, we wish all fathers, and all men who serve as father figures, all the kudos they so richly deserve. Happy Father’s Day!