The Best Kind of Dad

Not to be a sap, but I couldn’t let this Father’s Day pass without reflecting on one of the best dads I know - my husband. It’s funny how nearly everyone would claim that their own dad or husband is the world’s greatest. How can Curt be the best dad if so many others claim that they have the best dad? I have been thinking about this question lately and I think I have come to the conclusion that we all have the best dad because we all have the dad that we need to have.

I must acknowledge that I know this is a sweeping generalization and that there are many out there who have a troubled relationship with their father, have lost their father, or never even had a father at all (either literally or figuratively). My heart breaks for the grief and loss in that experience because the reality is that becoming a father does not necessarily make you a father and there are plenty of men who weren’t able to live up to the claim, for whatever reason. If that is your experience, I’m sorry, my heart breaks for you.

Mabel is blessed to have a fantastic father. I wouldn’t be able to tell you how I imagined Curt would be as a father before he was one. I knew how he cared for and loved me - so loyally, so gently - and I knew that kind of love would extend to any little ones we would be blessed enough to bring into this world. But I wasn’t prepared for how seeing him as a father would rip my heart open a hundred times over and fill it with an even deeper well of love for him. He is a calm, gentle, caring, and loving father.

He is the best dad in the world because he is the best dad for Mabel. He works so hard, loves so hard, and takes such care to develop a special relationship with her. He patiently involves her in the going-ons of our home when she desperately wants to help. He fosters her sense of curiosity and adventure by engaging in her creative games. He teaches her about the things she observes around her. He entertains her with his silly antics and demonstrates that life doesn’t need to be so serious. He is so careful to keep her safe and protected amidst all the fun. He loves her deeply, he loves her well.

To celebrate him, Mabel and I put together a video to show him how much we appreciate him. He is our greatest blessing and the greatest dad in the world - our world. Happy Father’s Day, Curt. We love you!