Athens Review, Athens, Texas

Breaking News

Opinion

Related Photos

  • Svehlak

    Svehlak, Lange.tif

Discussion

June 18, 2010

Father’s Day reflects the honor of being a Dad

Lange Svehlak The Athens Review

Athens — I want to put a little different spin on what Father’s Day is about for me. Normally when we think of Father’s Day, people think of it as the day we honor our Dads. This is true, and Dad’s do deserve recognition, some more than others. But we won’t get into that.

For me, I see it as a day to reflect on what an honor it is for me to be a Dad.

I was fortunate growing up to have a wonderful family and Father. I have been blessed with a wonderful wife and daughter, and a son on the way in July.

Being a Dad is an honor that us Dad’s will only understand. At least I hope I’m not the only one.

The first time you lay eyes on that miracle that you had a hand in, your life changes. There is a little something inside that will never be the same. Some are thinking, Yeah, for the worse. If that is you, keep reading and maybe this will open your eyes.

What an honor to be responsible for one of God’s miracles. It’s an honor to see that first smile, hear their first words, watch their first steps, listen to them laugh, and to see them grow and prosper.

The honor is of being responsible for another person’s life, and to realize the dependency they have on you. It does my heart good to have my daughter run up to me when I get home, and say “hi daddy, I love you.”

No matter how long or tough the day was, it all goes away in an instant.

I was recently posed the question: What do you know now that you didn’t five years ago?

One of my answers was how much being a parent would change my life. You may be wondering how that is. Well, aside from the obvious, I now have someone that is dependent on me. There is a voice in the back of my mind telling me “Is that really a good idea?”

The idea involves choices made in day-to-day life. Those choices involve simple things, like putting on a seatbelt, and taking care of myself. These hold more weight than ever before.

This also occurred when I married my beautiful bride. I have people that are counting on me to be there for them. It’s not just about me anymore. Everything I do, I try to first consider my wife and daughter, and to determine how it may affect them.

When I say I feel being a Dad is an honor, I truly mean it. Yes, I know there are hard times where you just want to pull your hair out, or maybe their’s. These are the  times that make you stronger as a person and a parent.

Being a father is a big responsibility that needs to be taken very serious. At the same time I hope I am not the only one that feels being a father is an honor.

Dads ­– Get out there and spend some time with your kids. That’s not meant to be time in front of the TV or video game. It means to get outside and have some fun.

Lead by example, and remember that they are watching every move you make. How they see you treat others is how they will treat others. But more important than that, this is how they will expect to be treated. I’m going to leave that one with you to think about.

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads out there.

Lange Svehlak is Publisher of the Athens Daily Review.

Text Only
Opinion
  • art lawler cutout.jpg In spite of everything, brave young cops are protecting us

    Details are still emerging on this story, so I won’t get into names and a lot of details today.

    February 10, 2012 1 Photo

  • RICH-USE THIS ONE.JPG Again bowled over by canine chaos on Super Sunday

    The Super Bowl is now in our rear view mirror, and I’ve had to deal with the fact that football season is finally over.
    Men and women in shorts are now running around with a round ball. They’ll be dominating the sports calander for the next couple of months. We’re just a few weeks away from March Madness, and after that, the NBA playoffs.

    February 9, 2012 1 Photo

  • Kathi Nailling If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is

    Women got the right to vote when the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1920.
    We take voting very serious.  Those women before me fought so I would have the right to cast my vote.  My sisters

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

  • art lawler cutout.jpg Tis a matter of the bladder — the screaming bladder

    One of the few advantages of growing older is that you can schedule the taking of your prescription drugs, based on  your own personal alarm clock.
    From what I’ve been told by the older folks, of which I’m a very borderline member, if you can’t remember any other time to take your pills, do it the first time your bladder wakes  you up in the middle of the night.

    February 3, 2012 1 Photo

  • art lawler cutout.jpg The Joe Pa story teaches us an old, old lesson

    Before we move too far away from the Joe Paterno scandal that dominated the last three months of his life, I’d like to take one last attempt at perspective.

    January 30, 2012 1 Photo

  • Kathi Nailling I can’t understand the remarks of one online columnist

    A recent column on an on-line website stated that “Three newspapers chains control dissemination of local news in Cedar Creek Lake area

    January 27, 2012 1 Photo

  • RICH-USE THIS ONE.JPG Young people will always be something good to talk about

    As the years pile up, there are many things I envy about young people.
    First of all, those people can sleep. I remember, when I was a kid, and would hear retired people talking about getting up at 4 a.m., having a cup of coffee and a big breakfast, I’d think — why?

    January 26, 2012 1 Photo

  • Kathi.JPG Some people are very good and honest

    Sometimes it seems like all I  ever hear are how bad people are. I don't believe that. I think we all have some good in us.
    It could be because I work for a paper that I hear a lot of negativity.

    January 20, 2012 1 Photo

  • Founding fathers would fight for nativity scene

    If you were to ask the question, “What do the Christian Left and atheists have in common?” the answer might be that many of them believe in the modern version of separation of church and state. I believe the difference between them is that the Christian Left is just uninformed about the historical truths, while the atheist is being guided, knowingly or not, by the hand of Satan.

    December 20, 2011

  • Svehlak, Lange inside.tif A reminder of what matters most

    I have to be honest.
    When I first heard a group from Wisconsin wants to have the nativity scene removed from our courthouse square, after receiving an anonymous complaint from someone who was offended, I was furious.
     

    December 12, 2011 1 Photo