Cord Byrd: “this Sunday, June 15, is Father's Day. It is a day of lovely chosen, if sometimes unstylish, ties; a day of lumpy clay…”

“this Sunday, June 15, is Father's Day. It is a day of lovely chosen, if sometimes unstylish, ties; a day of lumpy clay bowls and golf tee puzzles; of handmade cards and big brunches. It is a day for family members to struggle over what to get dad, in a reflection of both the many hours that fathers spend away from home working and of his proclivity for just buying himself what he wants. What does dad need? Nothing, really. What he wants is more time with his family and more time for fun, but that cannot be purchased. That is something that cannot be purchased at the mall. This Father's Day will be even more special for the men returning from service in Iraq in time to meet newborn sons and daughters for the first time. They will be coming home to a precious new life that they see for the first time in many instances. It is difficult to imagine the poignant first meeting as the same large hands that wrestled weapons on aircraft or into tanks now cradle small bundles squirming with life and happy, toothless smiles. What moments of simple, unalloyed joy. If we are fortunate this Father's Day, it will be a day of beautiful June skies, warm weather and lush lawns trimmed close and smelling of fresh cut grass. If we are lucky in this very rainy spring, it will be a day to enjoy family activities outside, to preside over savory picnics or barbecues, to play ball games, to take long walks with the dog. I look forward to that.…”