My Daddy passed away three years ago on June 4th. This is the fourth Father's Day that I have not celebrated with him on earth. However, I still celebrate Father's Day even though Daddy is in heaven with our Heavenly Father. Even though Daddy is not here with me for me to take to lunch, buy him a silly gift or make him his favorite breakfast of bacon and eggs (against my Mother's will) I still want to remember and honor him because he is still my Daddy.
I've got friends who lost their Daddy a long time ago. Amy Beth and Carole come to mind immediately. Tarene and Dana are still missing their Daddy like I do although its been only a few short years. Pam and Denise have recent losses and are doing a first Father's Day without their Dad. Losing your Dad just changes your life forever in a way that you can never understand until you live through it. Death is a part of life, but losing your Daddy is just really life-changing if you were especially close to him.
However, just because your Daddy is not here on this earth physically doesn't mean you can't honor him on Father's Day. My Dad would still want family to gather (not for Father's Day but because family should gather). He would enjoy a great meal - so I will enjoy one as well. He would want us to attend church on Sunday. He would want us to be kind and loving to one another. He would want us to do good, work hard and be a good example for our children as he was for us.
Daddy was a great teacher, lifelong learner, fixer of anything but a broken heart, farmer, rancher, fisherman, and hunter. He was known to many as a uncle, cousin relative or dear friend. He was always ready to lend a helping hand, demanded the best out of everyone, and usually saw the good in most people. He was determined to live life to the fullest, didn't let a thing like heart disease slow him down, and made sure that we could take care of ourselves.
So in honor of the best Daddy around, Roy W. "Buddy" Cagle, I plan to celebrate him this Father's Day as he would expect. I will strive to be the Christian woman he would have wanted, the best wife to Ray I can be, and a loving mother to Jake. I will be a good daughter, sister, aunt and friend. I will do what is right (even though it is not easy sometime) and hopefully live a life that would have made him proud. I miss you, Daddy!
