A true measure of a man, my father

Its days like this, I miss my family. I feel so far away, but thanks to my strong connection with my parents and my family, I feel like I'm sitting around my folks oval shaped table along with my brothers, sister, sister-in-law, my three nephews, my lovely niece and my amazing parents enjoying a great home cooked meal prepared by the loving hands of my mom.

Today being father’s day, I can’t help but ask myself...What is a true measure of a man, my father?

Here are a few things I am thinking about.....

His strong devotion to God and his work through God to serve the people of the community. I call home and my mom will often say "Oh your dad is out at a meeting, you know him, he's always getting involved in things."

I recall the time in North Bay, my father and I were walking around looking in a few music shops. "Ouch!!!" A bee snuck up on me and stung me in the neck. My father looked at me and said "are you going to be okay son?" I told him I was fine, but just to be sure; he wrapped one arm around my shoulder and walked with me down the street. I felt so close to my dad, I didn't want him to let me go.

His unconditional support and love for his children. This is true for both my parents, their love for us, myself as well my brother and sister, is never in question. It's so easy to be there in the best of times, but to willingly want to be there in the worst of times is something powerful. My parents once said, "one of things that hurts us the most, is when the our children are hurting, and we wish there was a way we could take the pain away and carry it for you." And as someone who has felt a fair amount of pain, I am thankful for the pain. The experience in having dealt with my losses, the grief, the defeat, the humiliation. What makes that pain I have felt tolerable is knowing that I never walk alone; my parents love and support always get me through.

My brothers have a strong connection with my father; they hunt, trap, fish, and go outdoors with him. My sister has a strong connection to my father; she is his baby, his only daughter. And I do to, we work together. There is no other man I would rather have stand with me in my work, my dad has proven to me and people all over the country that he a man of wisdom, integrity and a great sense of humour. He is so versatile, able to connect with any group and any age.

Are these a true measure of a man, my father? Partially, but I feel the true greatness of my father or the true measure of a man, as I am referring to, is what I have learned about him as a man. A man who is not a picture of perfection but strives to be the best he can be. A man who struggles from time to time, but remain strong in his convictions. A man who made mistakes as a father, but as proved his manhood to his children to say "I'm sorry." A man who is still my hero.

This is a true measure of a man, my father.

I love you dad, today and always.

Stan

Here we are in Norway House, Manitoba at one of our highly successful conferences, Walking to The Beat of Your Drum. These incredible youth in the picture are the youth mentors of Norway House.


My father looking his best in a place where I'm sure he feels his best, on the land.

In the summer of 2004 my parents Bed and Breakfast and my company sponsored a goose plucking contest. Here is my father preparing the contestants and the crowd prior to the event. I'm just like him, I love the attention. That's where I get it from.

My father's no HACK!! Although he's in the hack preparing for a big shot during the 2004 Michael Trapper Memorial Gathering.