Father’s Day Edition: “What Can I Do to Honor My Dad’s Memory This Father’s Day?” (2015 Posting)

Father’s Day is a special day in American culture...a day set aside to honor our fathers and/or those who have filled that father-role in our lives. Traditionally, this is a day of celebration, but for many each year, the day is one more reminder that our earthly fathers are no longer with us.

Just like the other “special” days in the calendar year, please consider making a plan for how you will spend this Father’s Day. The following ideas were part of an article on Neil Chetnik’s (author of FatherLoss: How Sons Deal with the Deaths of Their Dads) website, www.fatherloss.com. (Note: These ideas could also be adapted & used for other “special” days.)

• Be a mentor to a child whose father has died or who has no father in his life.
• Write a Father's Day card focusing on the things that you loved or appreciated about your dad.
• Wear an article of your father's clothing.
• If your father loved music, spend an hour listening to his favorite album.
• If your dad loved wood-working, use his saws, hammer and wood to build something simple or begin a new project.
• Cook your father's favorite meal for your family or friends.
• Read one of the books that your father loved.
• Donate some money to your father's favorite cause.
• Contact a current father-figure in your life whom you admire and tell him so.
• If you are a father, focus on being the best father you can be to your children.

I hope these suggestions have been helpful, but if you feel that you or someone you care about needs additional support, has questions about what he/she is experiencing, or would like information about services available to him/her, please don’t hesitate to call me at (504) 734-0140 or e-mail Kim at ksmith@stjosephhospice.com.