Choir Notes

Memories of Father

From Music and the Spoken Word

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell • Program 4370

Popular culture and media sometimes portray fathers as either unnecessary or incompetent, and yes, there are bad fathers who are unworthy of the name. But let’s not forget, most fathers give their all for their families. Most do their best to be there for their kids, to set good examples and show their children how to be responsible adults. Most fathers try to teach their children goodness and truth.
They provide for, protect, and love their families—and then love them some more. 

Just as no child is perfect, no father is perfect. We all hope to be remembered more for our strengths than our shortcomings. As days become years and fathers grow older, we might consider showing more compassion, forgiveness, and appreciation. Choose to remember the good moments, the happy times. Hold on to the memories that can sustain us in loss or heartache and can give us hope as we struggle to leave our own legacy of love. 

A middle-aged woman recently experienced the loss of her father. In most ways, he was a very ordinary man. His professional pursuits were varied and not necessarily noteworthy. He lived a simple life, but he provided for his family and stayed true to his wife and children until the end. Upon his passing, his daughter reflected on his life and realized that his greatest gift to her was a feeling of pure love, and she was only now beginning to understand what a precious gift that was. When she was a girl, he sang her to sleep. When she was a teenager, he told her she was beautiful, and she believed him. As a grown woman, she still wanted to please him, and whenever he smiled at her, she couldn’t help but smile back. She knew that he loved her, and quite frankly, she did not need to know much else. 

Each dad is unique; each has his own way of expressing love. But love is what all good fathers—all true fathers—have in common, and love is what will live on in the hearts of their children forever.