Happy Father's Day
Posted by Rebecca Teti in Just me on Sunday, June 21, 2009 8:18 PM
When you’re fortunate enough to have your parents live close by, one of life’s little pleasures is watching the relationships they develop with your own kids.
Sometimes, observing the delight my dad takes in his grandkids (and theirs in him), I feel I must be getting a glimpse of my own childhood through my father’s eyes—that is, I can see by his reactions to my kids how he no doubt reacted to me and to my siblings when we were small.
I have never doubted my good father’s love, but now I have the happiness of seeing it.
One of my dearest memories of my father is of him busting almost giddy into the hospital room the morning after I’d given birth to his first grandson—a child who arrived only after several years of prayer and many doubts about whether this happy day would ever be.
I’ve posted some of the poems my dad writes for major family occasions previously. Here’s the poem he composed on the birth of our son, John-Paul (nickname: J-PAT).
J-PAT’s Savvy Handlers
Come fill the cup, and toss confetti!
There’s now a newer, better Teti!
We honor him who wets and weeps,
And howls, and pukes, and seldom sleeps,
Who’s made himself an awful pest—
Yet who’s convinced his folks they’re blessed!
In this wee Tet they see great hope—
A future Prez, (with prayer) a pope!
But should he climb some humbler height,
They’ll cheer, so long as he does right.
Commandments (10), Truths from the Mount—
They’re still the only things that count.
But who’s to keep this kid in line,
To move his heart toward the divine?
First wisdom comes from Mom & Dad,
Who’ll help him sort the good from bad.
Then stern-eyed uncles, old-maid aunts,
Plus priests with their lugubrious chants!
And don’t forget the saints of old—
Like Ethelred and Ethelwold!
Yes, Swithin, Swithbert, Swizzlestick,
Fair Mozzarella, Dear St. Nick,
Ulumbijiski, Alf of Orph,
Clydog, 10 Ralphs, One John the Dwarf—
This gang will serve him well on earth,
So, come, let’s celebrate his birth!
Happy Father’s Day, Dad! And the best to all you fathers, grandfathers, godfathers and Fathers out there. When the going gets tough, never forget at least ten St. Ralphs and John the Dwarf stand in the breach with you.
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