Father's Day: My Cousin's Thoughts

One of my cousins, age 31, sent out an email that I'd like to share: "I just wanted to take a moment and wish Happy Father’s Day to all of the REAL FATHERS out there. I was blessed enough to be raised by a REAL FATHER. A man that took care of his family first and foremost. A man that would lay down his life to protect us. A man that kept a roof over our heads by going to work EVERY DAY. A man that taught his children morals and a work ethic. Don’t get me wrong, my father isn’t perfect and we went through some very rough times, but by the grace of God my father was changed. But even before he became a Christian, my father took care of us. He could have easily been a coward and walked away from his wife and 3 children and let us fend for ourselves like so many of these deadbeats out here, but he didn’t! To this day my father has not only been a REAL FATHER, but thank God he’s still around to be a REAL GRANDFATHER. He has enabled my brother to be a REAL FATHER to his children.

I implore all of you REAL FATHERS out there to reach out and teach these deadbeats how to step up to the plate and take care of their responsibilities. Teach them that regardless of the relationship status with the mother of their child, it is their duty to be there for their child. And by “be there” I mean physically, emotionally AND financially. Now granted, some women do use the kid(s) as a tool to get back at the dads, and to those women I say “STOP IT”. You’ll only be hurting the child in the long run.

In closing, I would like to again say Happy Father’s Day to the REAL FATHERS and to all the REAL MOTHERS that have to play the dual role because of their deadbeat dads.

And to my REAL FATHER, [my uncle's full name], THANK YOU & I LOVE YOU!!!"