Brother Friend

Seasons change, and so do we. Here’s your one word style guide: layers.

Am I Dad cool, yet?

If you grew up in my generation, you probably thought your Dad was alright. A little uptight, but it wasn’t his job to be “outta sight.”

Dad was showing how it was. He was living the best he knew how. If yours was a little like my Dad, he was handy. He worked too hard and long, but the flash of the sun off his car windshield and through the living room window meant the day was wrapping up.

Dinner waited for him.

With a little light left on a summer evening, there might be a catch in the shade of side yard or a walk through his garden.

With the cool winter night, we might hear guitar music from the back of the house. An open door to join in or run the tape machine.

It’s cooler now than it seemed then.

Then it was just Dad doing Dad things. It was only later that we learned it was a certain cool.

Not putting on for anybody. Available for anyone.

Dad’s still just a phone call away. Thank God. The cool, however, is still just a little outside my reach.

Happy Father’s Day, Dads. You’re cooler than you know. Give us time. We’ll figure it out.