TOW: What Does a Father Want for Father's Day?

I remember, about seven years ago, probably the worst father's day I ever had to experience.

I spent days, weeks, looking for a gift for my Dad (stepdad) that he would like, and it would be from all of us, me and my brothers.  I ended up buying him a Swiss Army Windbreaker, that came with cologne.  (Or was it the other way around?  I think you can see where this story is heading.)  My dad could not have looked more disappointed.  I couldn't have been dumber.

It's a hard lesson to learn that dads, in general, don't want gifts.  They want many things, but they don't want things.  Like most Hallmark Holidays, it's hard to understand why men would want useless gifts at all. 

Perhaps there are some sentimental dads out there, but most dads just want quality time and quality experiences with the people they actually value.  I know both of my dads just like a little time to relax, do what they like, and a 'Happy Father's Day.'  That's good enough.

So, this Father's Day, I called both my dads (I do double duty on Father's Day)  and talked with them the same way I always do.  The funny thing about special days is that most people don't want to be treated special, they just want to know that you care, and that you thought of them, and remembered.  Most people don't want the kind of special treatment we see on tv.  Granted, there are very materialistic fathers out there, but they are always pretty clear what they want.  =)

A dad just wants what any man wants:  to feel needed, respected, useful and proud of himself.  Anything you do to forward that sort of feeling, is certainly a gift of high price.