Of Mice and Dads

Today I'm interrupting my ruminations on motherhood to take a look at the other side of the parenting equation. Admittedly biased about the role moms play in the lives of their children, I sometimes have to remind myself how impactful dads can be. Which brings me to the mouse.

For anyone who knows me well, the mouse story has been heard before. And like fishermen, the specifics of the incident have grown over time. It goes like this. I was getting ready to head out on a business trip to San Francisco. While packing, I saw something dart into my closet. I can't explain why a grown woman, out on her own for several years, would panic at the sight of a small, furry creature incapable of harming her in any way, but I did. Unable to continue packing and unwilling to go to sleep knowing that thing was in my apartment, I did what any self-respecting daddy's girl would do. I called my dad. At 1:00 A.M. In February. In a snowstorm. And what did he do? Okay, first he laughed but then he got in his car and drove to my apartment to see what he could do. When he couldn't find my dangerous invader, he calmly waited as I finished packing my suitcase and took me back home. The next day, I boarded a plane and acted like the strong, intelligent woman I purported to be (as long as there weren't any rodents in the vicinity). I'm not proud of how I acted that night but my father should be. At that moment of need, no matter how old his child was, he was there. He didn't complain about losing sleep. He didn't make me feel weak or incompetent. He just made me feel loved.

I'm happy to say I never saw the mouse again. I'm also happy to say that I continue to be blessed with my father's wisdom and generosity thirty years later. Thankfully, I don't wait for a Sunday in June to tell him how much he means to me. But it is Father's Day, a time to give the guys their due. So whether it's your own dad or grandfather, a special friend or the father of your children, let's appreciate the men in our lives who support us, put up with us and, yes, occasionally, rescue us. They deserve it.