Father's Day

Today is a reminder for me, but I am reminded every day. I'm the father to three beautiful boys. Two are here with me, squirming when I hug them for a little too long, laughing when I find their ticklish spots and crying when they forget to take a nap.

But one is only in my heart. I think about Sam every day and often at the most unexpected times. One place I almost always think of him is on a plane. Something about the isolation of my thoughts brings me back to the one I won't be able to FaceTime that night from the hotel or receive a running hug from when coming in the door.

We continue our busy lives and face the challenges head on. But life will never be the same when every event and celebration reminds me Sam won't be able to experience the same. That is my burden and I'm one of many fathers and mothers who carry the grief of their children no longer being with them.

So a reminder to us fathers, hold your children close today and every day. The memories are worth the time away from other distractions. When I am hit by the wave reminding me Sam is gone, I remember reading him Charlotte's Web. I remember telling him about the world. I remember describing how great his mother is and how much his family loves him. I remember holding his tiny body. I remember kissing his fuzzy head. But most importantly, I remember.